It was like Captainess Jackie Sparrow was in Salt Lake and Washington Square was the Black Pearl. I can't help but wonder if it's her very own Homage to the Deppster. But here's a thought Captainess...before you go pay the Tat Man to color in the Black Pearl, perhaps you can find a Hair Lady to color in the Black Roots. Oy!
P.S.-The concert was great, especially for those of us who can't get enough of the soulful Hammond Organ sound, and I plan to write all about it. But alas our computer has been pillaged and plundered by a virus...ARRRGGG! I'm confined to blogging from my phone until it's fixed, and the video and cool photos are on our camera which requires our ill-fated computer. Pray for us in our time of desperation. I mean, really, who knew one little piece of equipment could cause so much grief?
This is the view from my bedroom window, and how I see Salt Lake every morning. While most people would complain that their nice view of the mountains is obscured by buildings, I find it oddly cool. Being surrounded by high rise buildings (and living in one as well) makes me feel like I live in a real city. Ya ya, I know many Salt Lakers will immediately get defensive and talk about how Salt Lake is a real city, but I'm accustomed to places like New York City and San Francisco. As much I like Salt Lake City (really, I do) it's not New York City. So if you're feeling a little defensive right now, get over it. Appreciate what you have, and quit trying to be something you're not.
Don't get me wrong, I appreciate a good grafiti artist. But I think there's a special place down below for taggers. Call me evil but I can't wait to hear the news story about the gang banger who fell to his death while tagging a billboard or a highway sign. And while the local gang task force police like to make it sound like Salt Lake is turning into East L.A. (I think they are just trying to make themselves feel tough by talking about how hard their jobs are), the gangs in this town kinda make me laugh. They try really hard to be cool and tough. But listening to gangsta rap doth not a gangsta make ya.
So for the life of me I can't figure out why it's so important to tag an obscure column in front of the stock brokerage. Maybe Junior was feeling pretty cool with his big, green Sharpie, and wanted to mark his territory. Or maybe he thinks that stock brokers are 'the man', and Junior is just trying to get back at 'the man' for keeping him down. Do you think the mini magic marker tagging got Junior made? Maybe he's now the Don of Rose Park.
What do you do with that old tree trunk if you can't afford to pay someone to remove it? Pour a little concrete base, wrap a cut up gargage can round it, put a display case on top and call it art? Not sure exactly what they were going for here, but I'm sure the hippies sitting in the coffee shop next store think it's groooovy, man!
The irony is that there is a plant nursery right next door, so I can't help but wonder what the green thumbs think about the galvanized tree next door. You think they call the baristas murderers?
There's a comic book and assorted assundries store down the street from us with a giant eyeball in the window. More than a little creepy if you ask me. Cool sculpture, sure, but it makes me wonder if late at night it starts singing "Feed Me Seymour". And I think you are making a pretty bold statement about what kind of clienele you are interested in. But, then again, it is a comic book store, and while most 9 yr old boys would think a giant eyeball is cool, I don't think those 9 yr olds are the one keeping it in business. And those are the peeps that make me a little nervous.
So I'm pulling out of the gas station this afternoon (after feeling personally violated by filling my large SUV tank) when I see a Lincoln Town Car driving down the street with its trunk open. As it passes I see this...
Yes, actually, I did vocalize the words, "What the...?" Who knows, maybe a homeless man stole the car and wanted to keep his belongings. Maybe he found the ONE cart at Walmart that doesn't have the messed up wheel that makes you run into complete strangers and keeps it in his trunk so no one else can use it. I really don't know. But I did know that no one would believe me so I followed him down the street, phone camera at the ready, until I got the perfect shot. (For the record, it took three blocks and a clueless old lady blocking the right turn lane before I got the photo.)
That's when I thought that as lily white and homogenous as this town is, I sure find myself saying "What the...?" an awful lot. Then I thought, "What the..., maybe I'll just start a blog about all the crazy and bizarre things that I see around the beehive state, because sometimes you just can't believe it without photographic proof."
So blame it on the crazy, homeless, Town Car stealing, Walmart shopper if you like, but let's start toasting all the bizarre, mind-boggling, mostly blonde, and sometimes cool things around Salt Lake.