Eric on The Road

Journeys into the offbeat, off the beaten path, overlooked and forgotten - by Eric Model

Friday, May 30, 2008

B.C.'s diamond gems (Globe and Mail)

From The Globe and Mail:

by MATTHEW SEKERES
May 31, 2008

From humble beginnings, the B.C. Premier Baseball League has produced numerous major leaguers

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080530.wspt-baseball-camp-30/GSStory/GlobeSportsBaseball/home

Prairie town serenaded by church bells (Regina Leader-Post)

From The Regina Leader-Post through canada.com:

by Darren Bernhardt , Regina Leader-Post

Eastend (Sask.) retains much of its frontier purity. White-tailed deer stroll through town to nibble on lawns and flowerbeds, while owls, coyotes, pheasants and wild turkey express their opinions in a chorus of varied voices. Antelope bound along the hills and a herd of domestic bison can be seen grazing just outside of town.

http://www.canada.com/topics/travel/canada/story.html?id=dfb70e28-4b72-4629-862b-23f6c302d61f&p=2

Your Room Is Ready (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By BETHANY LYTTLE
Published: May 30, 2008

Motels are going condo but keeping their classic character.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/30/greathomesanddestinations/30motel.html?ref=escapes

Thursday, May 29, 2008

The Sheepherder's Ball: Hidden Basque Kitchens (NPR)

From NPR:

By The Kitchen Sisters
Morning Edition, May 29, 2008

In the last century, Basque people fleeing Francisco Franco's dictatorship flocked to America, herding sheep across the West. "Hidden Kitchens" explores the world of Basque sheepherders and their outdoor, below-the-ground, Dutch oven cooking traditions.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90893167

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

How to Be a summer rancher in Alberta (Calgary Herald)

From The Calgary Herald through canada.com:

Joanne Elves
For The Calgary Herald

Close to 20 years ago, LeAnne and Keith Lane at Willowlane Ranch near Granum, Alberta were looking for ways to supplement their ranching business.

"Cattle don't always pay the bills," says Keith Lane on a blustery spring day. "We thought by inviting guests to experience a cattle drive we could make a little extra money."

http://www.canada.com/topics/travel/canada/Prairies/story.html?id=31ed28fc-2494-4aad-abdb-06ed33f76f2e

New Podcast Posting: “Travels with Barley”

That’s the name of a book describing the journey prize winning journalist and author Ken Wells set out on a quest for “the perfect beer joint”.

In this Conversation on the Road, we talk with Kern Wells about his quest - just what was he looking for and did he find it ? It’s about a lot more than beer.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

New Podcast Posting: Memorial Day Where It Started - Part II

Barbecues, a long weekend, store-wide sales, the unofficial start of summer. That’s what Memorial Day represents to many these days.

Lost in the shuffle is the actual act of remembering. Who is supposed to be recalled, and why ?

How and where did the holiday start ?

Last year we went to Waterloo. New York to hear about that community’s claim as the birthplace of Memorial Day.

There are more than afew other communities with their own claims.

One such community is Bolasburg, Pennsylvania in the foothills of the Alleghenies. It’s described as a dot on the map, and a place that could be easily overlooked if not for marker by the side of the road that reads: “Boalsburg. An American Village - Birthplace of Memorial Day”.

In this Conversation on the Road, we pay a visit to Boalsburg, Pennsylvania to speak with longtime resident and historian of sorts Margeret Tenis about Boalsburg’s role in the origin of Memorial Day. We also see how they honor war dead and their community’s legacy today.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com/

NBA, NHL Playoff Fever Warms Detroit (NPR)

From NPR News:

All Things Considered
May 28, 2007

Detroit has sent two pro sports teams deep into the playoffs: basketball's Pistons and hockey's Red Wings. Jacin Waple, the bartender at Coaches Corner, a downtown Detroit sports bar, sets the scene.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90907230

Passing: Earle H. Hagen: Andy Griffith Theme Composer & "Whistler"

From The LA Times:

By Dennis McLellan
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
May 28, 2008

Earle H. Hagen, the Emmy Award-winning television composer who wrote the memorable theme music for "The Andy Griffith Show", "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "I Spy" and other classic TV programs, has died. He was 88.

Hagen also wrote a jazz arrangement of the traditional Irish tune "Londonderry Air," which served as the theme for Danny Thomas' popular situation comedy, "Make Room for Daddy." The Thomas show, which debuted in 1953, launched Hagen's longtime professional relationship with director-producer Sheldon Leonard."There is no question in my mind that Earle Hagen is one of the most important composers in the history of television, if not the most important," said Jon Burlingame, author of the 1996 book "TV's Biggest Hits," a chronicle of American television scoring.

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-hagen28-2008may28,0,1985685.story

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

And The Tortoises Are Off! (WBUR/NPR)

From Only A Game (NPR/WBUR):

Indy move over, make room for the Zoopolis 500! The 27th annual event, which consists of several tortoises “racing” around a track, took place at the Indianapolis Zoo this past week, with some surprising results.

http://www.onlyagame.org/index.php/2008/05/22/tortoises-hit-the-pavement-a-special-track-and-field-event-and-an-indy-500-preview/#more-187

A Primer on Pittsburghese (NPR)

From NPR News:

by Guy Raz
All Things Considered, May 24, 2008

Some cities have accents; Pittsburgh has its own language. The dialect is being studied by a group of linguists at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Locals at the city's famous Original Hot Dog Shop offer lessons on how to speak.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90805117

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Our Nation's Most Hallowed Ground (CBS News)

From CBS News:

Sunday Morning
May 25, 2008

A Visit To Arlington National Cemetery, Where The Fallen From The Civil War To Iraq And Afghanistan Are Laid To Rest.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/25/sunday/main4125867.shtml

In War Time, an Old Reliable Is Called to Serve (NY Times)

From the New York Times:

By Dan Barry
Published: May 5, 2008

In Logan, Ohio, the Columbus Washboard Company takes pride in being the country’s last washboard maker and in helping to keep American troops clean.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/05/us/05land.html

Detroit Puck City (CanWest News Service)

Ftom The CanWest News Service through The Montreal Gazette:

Cam Cole,
Canwest News Service

Hard economic times have eroded the notion of "Hockeytown USA", but dream Cup final has city in fever pitch.

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/story.html?id=a6f0f9c9-3ff9-41e0-9c2b-51301d8eb779

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Restored iron works forges Saugus history (Boston Globe)

From The Boston Globe:

By Ellen Albanese
Globe Staff / May 18, 2008

It ran for only 22 years, but the iron works established on the banks of the Saugus River in 1646 would free a colony from dependence on British manufacturing, create a model for the American factory town, and launch the world's most powerful steel industry.

http://www.boston.com/travel/explorene/massachusetts/articles/2008/05/18/restored_iron_works_forges_saugus_history/

In Elkins, W.Va., Stage Is Set for a Revival (Washington Post)

From The Washington Post:

By Melanie D.G. Kaplan
Wednesday, May 21, 2008

A city of 8,000, Elkins began as a railroad hub to transport the region's rich timber and mineral resources, and it has long attracted outdoors enthusiasts for hunting, fishing, mountain biking and skiing. But it's the 527-seat theater, which opened last summer on the site of the old Western Maryland Railroad yard, that's likely to change the feel of the hamlet. The yard has been turned into a town square, bordered by the theater, the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Scenic Railroad, the renovated Elkins depot (celebrating its centennial this year), a railroad-themed restaurant (opening this summer) and the future site of the West Virginia Railroad Museum.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/20/AR2008052001628.html

Driving Back Into Louisiana’s History (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By RON STODGHILL
Published: May 25, 2008

The African-American Heritage Trail stretches from New Orleans to Shreveport, paved with memories both painful and proud (With slide show)
http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/05/25/travel/25trail.html


Also related article: Many States, Many African-American Heritage Trails
By HILARY HOWARD
Published: May 25, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/25/travel/25TRAILbx1.html

The nicest main street in British Columbia? (The Regina Leader-Post)

From The Regina Leader-Post/CanWest News Service through canada.com:

by John Mackie, Leader-Post (Regina)

If you like old buildings, it's Baker Street in Nelson, the self-styled "heritage capital of British Columbia."

http://www.canada.com/topics/travel/story.html?id=2dfe5e4c-a565-490d-a900-e880af053229

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

New Podcast Posting: Gullah - Richness & Resiliency along the Sea Islands & Beyond

The Gullah are African-Americans who live in the low country region of South Carolina and Georgia, which includes the coastal plain and the Sea Islands.

The Gullah are known preserving their African linguistic and cultural heritage. They speak an English-based creole language containing many African loanwords and significant influences from African languages in garmmar and sentence structure. The Gullah language is related to Jamaican Creole, Bahamian Dialect, and the Krio language of Sierra Leone in West Africa. Gullah storytelling, foodways, music, folk beliefs, crafts, farming and fishing traditions, etc. exhibit influences from west and Central African cultures.

In this Conversation on the Road, we speak with educator, singer, actress and historian Anita Singleton-Prather, a native of the Sea Islands in Beaufort County, South Carolina. Through Anita we also speak to her character, Anita Peralie Sue - a personality based on Anita’s grandmother.

As she has done on stage and film, Anita creatively entertains and educates us about Gullah culture - a culture more vibrant and diverse than most might be led to believe.

At:
http://www.conversationsontheroad.com
'

Friday, May 16, 2008

Tasting the Bounty of San Francisco Markets (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By SHARON OTTERMAN
Published: May 16, 2008

Nearly every day in San Francisco there is a farmers’ market to check out, offering not only plenty to taste and buy, but sights, sounds and people-watching.

http://www.nytimes.com/pages/travel/escapes/index.html?8dpc=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1210921249-A7Z6WZxdzEjYGqkPpjGLLw

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Discovering Alabama From Its Watery Byway (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By CHRISTOPHER PERCY COLLIER
Published: May 16, 2008

Kayaking the new 631-mile Alabama Scenic River Trail is to discover nature and history along the route.

With multi-media travel guide

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/05/16/travel/escapes/16american.html?ref=escapes

Alaska counts down to the Big 5-0 (USA Today)

FROM USA Today:

By Kitty Bean Yancey
USA TODAY


"WE'RE IN," exulted the 6-inch-high front-page headline of the Anchorage Daily Times June 30, 1958.

The headline meant that the Alaska Statehood Act, already approved by the U.S. House of Representatives, had passed the Senate. When President Eisenhower signed the legislation a week later, Alaska was approved to become the USA's 49th state.

Fifty years later, the summer tourist magnet is planning months of celebration, featuring some of the state's biggest bashes.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2008-05-15-alaska-anniversary_N.htm

Canada's little Venice (Ottawa Citizen)

From The Ottawa Citizen through canada.com:

by Gary May
Ottawa Citizen

Lagoon City boasts 3,000 residences and eight kilometres of canals.

http://www.canada.com/topics/travel/story.html?id=b9d2c2d6-7438-4b1e-bdd9-fd8283fa8137

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

New Podcast Posting: A Place for “Bosom Buddies” and “Kindred Spirits”

To many of us she is known simply as “Anne”.

“Anne” is Anne Shirley (spelled with an ‘e’, of course), a character created by the vivid imagination of Prince Edward Island author L.M. Montgomery. An orphan since her parents died of fever when she was an infant, Anne has long dreamed of finding a real home and a real family. Sent by mistake to Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert - an elderly brother and sister living in Prince Edward Island - Anne is sure that she has found her place in the world once and for all. Known for her braids of fiery red hair, un-ending chatter, limitless imagination and unshakeable optimism, Anne has been a beloved friend for readers of all ages since the first novel in the series, Anne of Green Gables, was published in 1908.


Beyond the basic facts, Anne has come to mean much more than that to many. Her story translated into dozens of languages around the world, Anne has come to symbolize many things to different people. For some, she is representative of the modern woman - competing alongside the boys for scholarships and working hard to earn her way to college. For others, Anne’s determination to succeed and to thrive despite all obstacles has made her a symbol of hope, optimism and the power of faith. She is a familiar and comforting figure from childhood for those who met her as children. For the people of Prince Edward Island, Anne means summers filled with visitors seeking Green Gables House and “Avonlea.” No matter what your relationship to her, Anne is a powerful icon and the book’s success worldwide is proof of the universality of the quest for the things we all wish for in life: friendship, love, acceptance and a home. 2008 marks the centennial of Anne of Green Gables.


In this Conversations on the Road podcast, Campbell Webster speaks with us from Prince Edward Island about Anne, what she means to anne enthusiasts and the region, and finbally just what is planned this year as part of Anne2008.


At:

http://www.conversationsontheroad.com/

New Stamp Puts Sinatra Back in the Spotlight (NPR)

From NPR News:

Morning Edition
May 13, 2208

A commemorative stamp of Ol' Blue Eyes debuts 10 years after the singer's death.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90384989

Monday, May 12, 2008

The Octopus Thing (NPR)

From NPR News:

Day to Day
May 12, 2008

Detroit Red Wings building manager Al Sobotka talks about the tradition of throwing a good-luck octopus onto the ice at the hockey team's playoff games. League officials banned the practice, but it's been recently revived — with a few changes for safety.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90371601

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Call Your Mother (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By Thomas L. Friedman
Published: May 11, 2008

"The ad popped up in my e-mail the way it always has: '1-800-Flowers: Mother’s Day Madness — 30 Tulips + FREE vase for just $39.99!'"

"...I almost clicked on it, forgetting for a moment that those services would not be needed this year. My mother, Margaret Friedman, died last month at the age of 89, and so this is my first Mother’s Day without a mom..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/11/opinion/11friedman.html?hp

Recycling a Relic in Detroit (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

by Joe Lapoint
May 11, 2008

Decision due on the fate of Tiger Stadium (with slide show)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/11/sports/baseball/11stadium.html?em&ex=1210651200&en=5a9d9537e49fb79c&ei=5087%0A

The world food tour, on foot, on the cheap (Ottawa Citizen)

From The Ottawa Citizen via canada.com:

by Rebecca Stevenson

From Mexico to Israel to Jamaica to Vietnam, Toronto's Kensington Market serves up a culinary feast that even the most budget-minded will love.

http://www.canada.com/topics/travel/canada/story.html?id=1ec55ff0-e238-412f-b545-d67251faef8f

Spend the night in a teepee, dine on wild game (Montreal Gazette)

From The Montreal Gazette:

Maniwaki reserve offers opportunity to engage culture of Algonquins.

http://www.canada.com/topics/travel/canada/story.html?id=dab9afff-fe5e-4f32-9a80-1aa6cba8b6ea

Hungry? Head to the Heartland (Chicago Tribune)

From The Chicago Tribune:

By Phil Vettel
May 11, 2008

"My search for out-of-the-way Midwest dining jewels encompassed more than 600 miles, three states and one hotel that I hope never to revisit...And it was totally worth it".


http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-midwest-eats_r_pmmay11,0,1660510.story?page=1

Living large in Rhode Island (Boston Globe)

From The Boston Globe:

A Slide Show
By Patricia Harris and David Lyon
May 11, 2008

"Rhode Island is proof that good things come in small packages. At just 1,214 square miles, Little Rhody is smaller than some Texas counties, but its stature has never kept Rhode Island from thinking big. Witness its bay-spanning suspension bridge and first-in-the-nation outdoor jazz festival. Here are leads on exploring a baker’s dozen of the biggest things in the smallest state".

http://www.boston.com/travel/explorene/rhodeisland/galleries/big_in_rhode_island/

Second Time Around: Boston (Washington Post)

From The Washington Post:

by Jane Black
May 11, 2008

"You've Done This: Try This - We present a dozen Boston tourist traps paired with their lesser-known equivalents that locals treasure for fresh trip experiences".

With a slide show.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/09/AR2008050900515.html

Rural Wisconsin "book shop" (CBS News)

From CBS News:

By Bill Geist
CBS Sunday Morning, May 11, 2008

Down County Road K in Markesan, Wis., Lloyd and Leonore Dickmann -- a farmer and retired college professor -- have a used bookstore they estimate has a million books. There are no billboards to lead you there, no signs directing you down the driveway. Yet people come. This all started simply enough, with Lenore's small book collection which, somehow, grew big enough to fill a bookstore. So they opened one. But Leonore kept buying books and they outgrew the store too. So they moved it into a larger building right on the farm. And when they had too many books for their space on the farm, Lloyd decided to empty the silo that held cow droppings and, somehow, because Leonore wanted to, they turned it into a castle that's now filled with books. In fact, they now have books in more than a dozen buildings on their farm.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1998/07/09/sunday/main13562.shtml

Charlie Brown: Authenticity and Honesty (NPR)

From NPR News:

by Scott Simon
Weekend Edition Saturday, May 10, 2008

Charlie Brown was born in 1950, at a time of cautious optimism about America's global role after World War II, and about the average guy's day-to-day prospects back in the states.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90344033

Friday, May 09, 2008

Heard on the Radio: "Rising Beer Prices could leave you tapped out”

Small brewers line up to pay premium prices for scarce ingredients - A double-whammy shortages of two main ingredients have sent the price of beer significantly higher - After water, the biggest components of most beers are malted barley, whose sugar starches are fermented into alcohol, and hops, which add the bitter tang. In recent months, both have been in increasingly short supply, and when they have been available, their prices have leaped — by as much as 500 percent in the case of hops.

Peter Martin, head brewer at Brown’s Brewing Co. in Troy, N.Y. talks with Mark Walsh & Sam Seder about it in a "Beer America" segment on "Left Jab Radio".

The segment can be heard on XM Satellite Radio's Channel 167 Saturday at 11 am or Sunday at 1 pm. If you miss it there, it can be heard as a podcast at http://www.leftjabradio.com

They Came to New York for the Waters (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By EVE M. KAHN
Published: May 9, 2008

A century ago, New York State spas were pacesetters when it came to luxury.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/05/09/travel/escapes/09Mineral.html?ref=escapes

Passing: Eddie Arnold, Country Singer who bridged to Pop (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

A crossover music star who helped to make a niche mainstream.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/09/arts/music/09arnold.html?ref=obituaries

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Mural Tests Vermont Law That Forbids Billboards (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By Katie Zezima
Published: May 8, 2008

Despite its retro charm, a mural painted on the side of a barn has come under fire in a state determined to keep its landscape free of commercial intrusion.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/us/08vermont.html?ref=us

New Podcast Posting: Minnesota’s 150 Years of Statehood

The land of 10,000 Lakes is celebrating 150 years of statehood this year. On May 11, 1858, Minnesota was admitted to the Union as the 32nd state.

We speak with Tayne Danger from the Sesquicentennial Commission in St. Paul about Minnesota’s origins, its history as a state, and just what they’re doing this year in the way of celebrating.

At:
http://www.conversationsontheroad.com

Passing: Irvine Robbins, Ice Cream Entrepreneur and a Maestro of 31 Flavors (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By Dennis Hevesi
Published: May 7, 2008

Irvine Robbins, who with his brother-in-law, Burton Baskin, started the Baskin-Robbins chain of ice cream stores — together concocting quirky flavor combinations with names like Daiquiri Ice, Pink Bubblegum and Here Comes the Fudge — died on Monday near his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif. He was 90.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/07/business/07robbins.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&ref=obituaries&adxnnlx=1210169956-KgmccCI3/vNnxYb/q3htaQ

Utah Dudes Undertake 48-State Road Trip (NPR)

From NPR News:

Bryant Park Project
May 6, 2008

Joey Stocking, Adam Gatherum and Josh Keeler are attempting a record-breaking cross-America road trip. As Keeler says on a cell phone call Tuesday morning, the three friends started driving in Vermont on Sunday to begin their attempt to hit all 48 continental states in 124 hours — and beat the record by three hours.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90245843

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

The best of Europe in America (ForbesTraveler.com)

From ForbesTraveler.com through USA Today:

By David Farley, ForbesTraveler.com

With the dollar plunging to mouth-gaping lows against the euro, the British pound and other European currencies, it's a costly time to make a transatlantic flight. But there's a solution to this problem, and you don't even have to downgrade your hotel room or eat at a less elegant restaurant: Don't go at all. From bibulous beer halls to English-accented inns, these United States are loaded with European refinement.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2008-05-05-europe-america-forbes_N.htm

Driving the Oregon Coast (AP)

From The Associated Press through USA Today:

By Joseph B. Frazier, Associated Press Writer

NEWPORT, Ore. — Oregon's coast is still wild enough to be a windy wonder, tame enough for the squeamish, surprisingly affordable and uncrowded — yet diverse enough to please at least someone in the car most of the time.

All beaches are public, and access is guaranteed by law.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2008-05-06-oregon-coast_N.htm

Passing: Ted Key, Creator of ‘Hazel’

From The New York Times:

By Bruce Weber
Published: May 6, 2008

Ted Key, whose cartoon creation, an independent-minded and impertinent maid who came to be known as Hazel, a name that became synonymous with live-in housekeepers as American suburbs flowered after World War II, died on May 3 at his home in Tredyffrin Township, near Philadelphia. He was 95.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/arts/design/06key.html?ref=obituaries

Can M-U-D Really Spell M-O-N-E-Y? (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By Katie Zezima
Published: May 6, 2008

Several Vermont inns have been trying to make their state during mud season a destination for those looking for an off-season getaway.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/us/06mud.html?ref=us

Monday, May 05, 2008

Youppi! Le Comeback Kid (You Tube/habsinsideout.com)

I'm a traditionalist when it comes to hockey and baseball. So, by extension I'm not one for team mascots.

But, you gotta love Youpi - one time mascot for the Montreal Expos who migrated over to the hockey Canadiens when Bud Selig and friends pulled the Expos out of town.

Many thanks to Dave Stubbs from the Montreal Gazette (habsinsideout) for having pointed out this video. Much welcome & needed today (the first day of summer after Canadiens were eliminated from the playoffs).

As always, kudos to Dave, Mike Boone and the others at habsinsideout for a great job. To a Montreal fan stranded in New Jersey, it is a wonderful lifeline.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xMIsNSbRY4

We stand on guard … but why bother before a game? (Globe and Mail)

From The Globe and Mail:

by ROY MacGREGOR
From Monday's Globe and Mail


After recent boorish behavopr in Montreal and Philadelphia towards National Anthems of the U.S. and Canada, Roy MacGregor writes of a point raised in a recent letter to a Montreal newspaper editor by a Richard Samuelson.

“Why,” he asks in a letter to the Montreal Gazette last week, “are national anthems played before sporting events?”

It doesn't happen before concerts or live theatre. Doesn't happen, any more, before the movie starts.

“Millions of Canadians and Americans start work every day without the benefit of national anthems,” he writes. “Why can't jocks?”

MacGregor continues: "How different it is down here at the World Championships....They come out onto the ice and, rather than the game beginning with the anthems of the two countries, as is done in the NHL, the players merely salute the other side by raising their sticks in respect. The game is played – in, it seems, about half the time it takes to play an NHL game with all those commercial breaks and tedious intermissions – and at the end the winning team's flag is briefly raised while that country's anthem is played and the fans of the winning side, also from the same country, join in on the singing....The other team stands on its blueline, respectfully".


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080505.wmacgregor5/BNStory/Front/home

Sunday, May 04, 2008

South Dakota's National Treasures (Universal Press Syndicate)

From The Universal Press Syndicate through The Chicago Tribune:

By T.D. Griffith Universal Press Syndicate
May 4, 2008

The Black Hills' caves, bison, native heritage—and the wonder of Mt. Rushmore

http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-national-treasures_cm_pmmay04,0,1696377.story

Hail to the Victors

It's not how one would have liked it to end, but the hockey season is over. At least for me.

The Montreal Canadiens were eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers in five games.

The story is mixed. That Canadiens reached the second round is more than many had anticiopated as the season started. At the same time, after finishing first in the East with 104, many hoped and thought that Montreal had a legitimate shot at the Cup final.

Moreover, the Canadiens were seductively frustrating - at times brilliant and dominating and at other times lax and undisciplined.

Mike Boone of habsinside.com summarized it well:
http://www.habsinsideout.com/boone/8063

On to 2008-2009, the 100th anniversary of Le Club de Hockey Canadien.
In the meantime, it's on to Summer.

On This Ranch, Old Mustangs Get New Life (NPR)

From NPR News:

by Andrea Seabrook
All Things Considered, May 3, 2008

On a junky car lot in north Indianapolis, Delonzo Rhynes is living his dream of restoring rusted-out Mustangs. But his specialty is a creation all his own — the Mustang Thunder Hawk — a yellow and black custom beauty that he lovingly creates from old Mustang shells.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90084627

A Georgia Community With an African Feel Fights a Wave of Change (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By Shaila Dewan
Published: May 4, 2008

As development has swallowed up nearby islands, preserving the Gullah/Geechee culture has become a popular cause.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/us/04island.html?ref=us

Saturday, May 03, 2008

Where the Foodies Flock in Quebec City (canada.com)

From canada.com/Montreal Gazette:

by LESLEY CHESTERMAN , Freelance

It's easy to feast in Quebec, a city known for its innovated cuisine, upscale restaurants and neighbourhood bistros.

http://www.canada.com/topics/travel/canada/QC/story.html?id=13e36cb4-e304-4a71-bc19-65d6c74ecd2f

Gold Point: the Nevada ghost town that wouldn't die (LA Times)

From The Los Angeles Times:

By Jay Jones
April 29, 2008

The old mining town is 3 hours away from Las Vegas, which makes it good for a day trip or an overnight in a cabin.

http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-tr-vegas4may04

Cajun country crawfish (Globe and Mail)

From The Globe and Mail:

By Cinda Chavich
April 12, 2008

"Also known as mudbugs, crawdads and les écrevisses, the little critters are delicious every which way".

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080412.wxcrawfish12/BNStory/specialTravel/home

Kentucky Derby Chefs Race to Finish (NPR)

From NPR News/WKYU:

All Things Considered
May 2, 2008

Feeding the tens of thousands of spectators at the annual "Run for the Roses" is never easy. In fact, the chefs spend a year planning what to cook and making sure it all gets done on time. Joe Corcoran of member station WKYU reports on how it all gets completed.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90142695

Fading Sounds of an Elegant Manhattan (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By Stephen Holden
Published: May 3, 2008

The Waldorf-Astoria hotel is ending a tradition of live piano and song in its cocktail terrace between the Empire and Hilton Rooms.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/03/nyregion/03waldorf.html?ref=nyregion

Passing: Buzzie Bavasi, a Innovative Baseball Executive From Brooklyn to California (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By Richard Goldstein
Published: May 2, 2008

Buzzie Bavasi, the general manager of the Dodgers during their glory years in Brooklyn and their first decade in Los Angeles, and a baseball executive for nearly a half-century, died May 1 in San Diego, where he lived. He was 93.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/02/sports/baseball/02bavasi.html?_r=1&ref=obituaries&oref=slogin

Friday, May 02, 2008

A Fan's Memories of Playoff Times Past

Yes, it's playoff time. Far better than anything you'll see during the course of the year.

But still something is missing. More than something. I had to go into YouTube appreciate just how much has changed in hockey.

Where there were once 4, then 8 teams in the playoffs, it now starts with 16. And there's more - they advertising, the loud music, the canned encouragement "Clap hands" signs.

But a comment on a YouTube of a 1979 Hockey Night in Canada playoff broadcast (Toronto at Montreal - Danny Gallivan and Dick Irvin at the mikes) probably put it best:

"...Look at that beutiful atmosphere in the Forum...you can feel the crowd's excitement...and the incomparable Roger Doucette....get rid of the U2/Vertigo sh-t they play now and the irritating horn...and the towels. Also, what happened to the fans in Montreal who would dress in their best clothes when attending Canadiens games and not sweats? Why are we emulating the simpletons of the NHL who have few if any Cups to their credit? It's a joke...."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTJw2lYgXOA

Across USA, travel marketers give it the gas (USA Today)

From USA Today:

By Laura Bly, USA TODAY

With the economy in a slump, the specter of $4-a-gallon gas prices threatens to put the brakes on many vacation plans. In response, travel marketers are turning on an early spigot of prepaid gas cards and other incentives to keep tourists on the road, from carbon offset credits and public transit passes to (go figure) a free lesson at a high-performance driving school.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/hotels/2008-05-01-gas-rebates_N.htm

Paddling, Wining and Dining on the Other Eastern Shore (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By STEVE BAILEY
Published: May 2, 2008

At the entrance to Chesapeake Bay, on the southern tip of Virginia's Delmarva Peninsula, nature and wildlife reclaim the land.

And, check out the slide show.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/02/travel/escapes/02american.html?_r=1&ref=escapes&oref=slogin

Massachusetts Museums That Speak to Children (NY Times)

From The New York Times:

By Lisa W. Foderaro
Published: May 2, 2008

In the northwest part of the state, youthful passion for art is being kindled by visits to unique museums.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/05/02/travel/escapes/02museum.html?ref=escapes