The Weekend in Cliffs Notes

Random Goodness 020
Originally uploaded by bridgeportseasoning.

Graham Elliot on Friday: Wonderful. Proof that maybe we as food writers should probably wait two months or so until doing a full review.

Saturday: Margaret Lyons celebrating her birthday with karaoke. Did a very off-key rendition of this song, the last documented moment where Gene Simmons realized the music than the money worked hand-in-hand:

"Domino" by KISS from "Revenge" (1992)

Stopped by Pontiac on the way to the train. Ran into a friend whose show I missed while I was waiting my turn at the mic. Invited me to join her and some of her friends for beers in the backyard of some Australian guy who just got back from the Mackinac sailboat race, claiming he sailed to the island on the Stars & Stripes. Dude was blitzed out of his mind, even for an Australian.

He kept telling stories about how he used to rustle cattle in Brisbane while trying to start a fire. Had no reason to doubt him. After all, he was waving a scorched and sharp piece of kindling in my face as he said it. A quick mention of Victoria Bitter and we were fast friends.

Extricated ourselves from that predicament and headed to the Note. Yikes. Walls decorated with work from some of the city's best graffiti artists. Wasn't impressed. Said my goodbyes and hopped in a cab to Bridgeport. Three blocks from my apartment a Denali pulls up beside the cab and asks the driver something as two girls hop out of the truck and into the back of the cab with me, flush with the glow of clubbing. One of them lives a couple blocks away from me.

Yay Chuckles!

Maybe He Was Aware of the Current Weak Value of the Dollar

We really are raising a generation of idiots:

Sorry, "Anonymous," I'm Not Moving Anytime Soon

Polo Cafe
Originally uploaded by bridgeportseasoning.

Especially after nine years in the neighborhood. I've grown accustomed to it.

As for your contention that I'm a "faggot ass bitch," are you asking because you'd like to blow me?

JImmy Sabbia Talks Politics

Jimmy Ethyl 2
Originally uploaded by bridgeportseasoning.

I stopped at Freddie's this evening on the way home from the White Sox game for a bite and saw Jimmy Sabbia standing around. He's not getting around as well as he used to, folks. He's also not feeling as well as he usually does - he didn't go through the whole "You know Gene?" routine. So help him out if you have a chance. At the very least make sure he's okay.

Which is what I was doing. Anyway, he took a look at my t-shirt with the '83 Sox logo and "Obama" written underneath. Turns out Jimmy's up to date on the current political landscape.

"Oooohh-Bah-mamamamamamama," he croaked.

"Just, 'Obama,' Jimmy," I replied.

What followed shocked me, even knowing Jimmy's outbursts all these years. "Why are you wearing that shirt? This is Bridgeport, you know that?" He asked.

"It's 2008, Jimmy. Get with the times," I said.

Jimmy continued, "This is Bridgeport. We don't don't vote for..." I cut him off before he could start dropping racial epithets while the black family in front of me waited for their Italian ices.

"It's okay, Jimmy. the 11th Ward Local Democratic Organization endorsed Obama."

That set Jimmy off. "The 11th Ward? Where's that?"

"Here, Jimmy. This is the 11th Ward."

Jimmy then proceeded to give me a lesson in Bridgeport political history you don't find in newspapers or textbooks. "I grew up in Chinatown. You know the Bertuccis?"

"I know of them." (In fact I think I may have written about them in regard to the Jimbo's saga.)

"They run this neighborhood, from Chinatown. They'll kick your ass for wearing your Ooooh-Ba-mamamamamama t-shirt." Then he staggered away south on Union.

If what Jimmy says is true, it looks like I might be donating to the Order of St. Rocco next month.

Feeling It

Fish Tacos from Lupita's Ristorante in Evanston
Originally uploaded by bridgeportseasoning.

Last night I saw Public Enemy perform It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back in its entirety at Pitchfork. I jumped around like a 20-year-old and this morning my 39-year-old body felt it.

I think the rest of the festival is going to be anticlimactic.