A couple restaurant reviews...

I've had the occasion to dine at a couple new restaurants with my lovely bride (and good friends on one of the occasions). I wrote a review on a dining website for the newest one, so I thought I'd re-print it here too. I seem to get a lot of crap for not writing more on my blog. I guess nothing new and exciting happens to FWK once the snow and cold hit! Anyway, here is a copy of the review I wrote for a new restaurant located in Uptown, called "IL GATTO" (The Cat). Il Gatto is located in the former home of Figlio, and is owned by the same restaurant group, called Parasole. Figlio was a pretty darned good restaurant. It was dependable, good happy hour specials, and fun to go to. After 20 some years, Parasole decided to close Figlio and open up Il Gatto. Here is the review I posted on http://www.opentable.com/, a reservation website:

Seating at the tables in the dining areas is jam packed. If you enjoy sitting at your table with your elbows resting upon fellow diners chairs, this is for you! I've never been in a restaurant where diners were so jammed together. I immediately complained. After 5 minutes, we were given the option of another table, about 10 feet away, just as jammed. I said we'd prefer a booth. Within 10 minutes, one emptied out and we were re-seated. The staff was extremely prompt and courteous. Be forwarned, if you are going to dine at Il Gatto, ask for a booth. The food was fair to average. I would not go back for dinner for some time. Happy hour should be OK. It is VERY LOUD! Tab for 4 was $167/w tip, 1 btl wine,3 beers,2 drinks,3 entree,1 app.

Il Gatto isn't the cat's meow...

This past Sunday, my bride and I went to the Children's Theatre Company to see their latest rendition of "Cinderella." They have a production of it every 2 or 3 years, and it's been a while since we saw it. I bought tickets for us as part of a Christmas present for Diane. The play they present is put on as a complete farce. Extremely funny. The two step-sisters are played by men. If you've never seen it, it's well worth your time. The humor is for people of all ages. Anyway, afterwards we decided to go to downtown Mpls to dine somewhere. We hadn't decided where. We were thinking of either Hell's Kitchen or Barrio. We parked right across the street from Hell's Kitchen and decided to go there for a drink. This was our first time in the new location. They moved from 1 block away several months ago. The restaurant is located in the lower level of a building. We went in, sat down, and ordered a beer. A few minutes later, Tony, a server we've known for over 10 years walked in to begin his shift. He gave us a wave, and later, bought us a round of beers. Let me tell you about Tony. He's not the straightest of men, if you know what I mean. He worked for many years as a server at Sawatdee Thai restaurant in the warehouse district. His usual attire back then was died blond hair (he's African American), camo hot pants, and army boots. He was the maid of honor at the wedding of another couple we got to know back in the same time. Tony was dressed normally tonight. It was good to see him.

Hell's Kitchen has very good food. One of the quirky things they are known for is their peanut butter. It's hard to describe, but it's the best peanut butter I've ever had. They make it fresh on site. You can buy it to bring home, which we did.

Here is the link to their site:

http://www.hellskitcheninc.com/

As good as their food is, we decided we wanted to eat at Barrio, a Mexican restaurant, which is better known as a Tequila bar. We walked down the street, turned the corner, and there we were. Barrio is quite small, and very narrow. It is supposed to be one of the hottest happy hour bars downtown. Being a Sunday night, getting in wasn't a problem. We sat at the bar, and had 3 very good bartenders at our service.

I had a beer at first, and one of the bartenders and I had a very good discussion on tequila. I very rarely drink anything stronger then beer, but when I do, tequila is the beverage of choice. They claim to have 117 tequilas available to drink. Tequilas are like all other liquors, there are poor ones, good ones, excellent ones, and ones I can't afford! Their most expensive tequila is $95 a shot. Here is their tequila menu:

http://www.barriotequila.com/BarrioDrinksMenu.pdf

I ordered one margarita and it was excellent. I was driving, so that was all I had. Unlike most Mexican restaurants, Barrio doesn't give free chips and salsa. Their chips come with freshly made guacamole, and it was absolutely fabulous. We decided to get small plates. Diane ordered a black bean and chicken tostada, I ordered corn chowder (based on a review I read) and a fish taco. The fish taco was only $4, so I figured it to be small. It was, so I ordered another one because it was excellent. Diane and I both loved the meal for one very simple reason, everything tasted so fresh! Not a new concept, but one we appreciate. We will definitely go there again. Maybe next Sunday! Our bill of 2 wines, 1 beer, 1 margarita, chips, soup, tostada, and 2 fish tacos was $70 with tip. Here is the link to their website:

http://www.barriotequila.com/

Diane's Uncle Bobby

My wife Diane and I have known each other 34 years. Of course, I've known her family for the same amount of time. Diane's maiden name was Bastiansen, and her dad's name is Pete. Well, not really. His given name is Donald Philip Bastiansen. He's been called Pete ever since he was a little boy, something to do with an aunt calling him Pete, I guess. Anyway, there is a member of Diane's family I've never met, only heard of, and that's Uncle Bobby. In fact, Diane barely even remembers him. Bobby was a disc jockey. He started out here in Minneapolis, went on to Fargo, and off to California many, many years ago. I've heard Boone and Erickson talk about him on WCCO, and they said he was one of the most talented people they had ever known. Bobby used the radio moniker of Bobby Dale. Bobby died in 2001. I looked up his obit in the SF Chronicle. I got an inkling then that he would have been interesting to know, or, at least to have listened to. Lou Waters, a guy I remember from CNN, knew Bobby, and wrote a book about him. I have copy & pasted below an article about Uncle Bobby that was written by Ben Fong-Torres (former Rolling Stone writer), for SF Gate magazine.

Farewell: Bobby Dale was one of the most fascinating, as well as funny, offbeat and musically knowledgeable disc jockeys ever to hit the airwaves. I helped induct him into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame in October, and although I knew him, I didn't really know him. Few people did. Dale, who died in 2001 at age 70, deserved a book, one that would delve into his past - the making of the jock - as well as his myriad mad exploits on the air, from Fargo, N.D., and Minneapolis to Hollywood and San Francisco. It was here that he gained notoriety for his free-for-all, all-night show on KSFO and, before and after that station, for his work on KEWB, KFRC, KKCY, KOFY and KTIM.

But publishers don't go for radio books unless they're by or about Howard Stern. Dale, who's one of 100 DJs recognized in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and whom Don Sherwood called "the disc jockey's disc jockey," was one of thousands of remarkable radio personalities who've deserved a book and never got one.

Until now. Lou Waters, the former CNN anchor and reporter, has published "Have I Got a Song for You! The Bobby Dale Story," subtitled, "From juvenile delinquent on the streets to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame." Waters, himself a former Top 40 DJ, worked alongside Dale at KDWB in Minneapolis in 1960 and remained friends with him.

After Dale was diagnosed in the mid-'90s with diabetes, cirrhosis and a heart problem, Waters decided to capture his story. Waters, who lives in Arizona, called Dale at his apartment in San Rafael every day for the last six months of his life, interviewing him for an hour or two. The result is an engaging, entertaining life story and a must-read for the thousands of people who marveled at Dale on the air and wondered what was going on behind the scenes.

It wasn't pretty. For one thing, Robert Dale Bastiansen wasn't pretty. He was gangly, goofy-looking, and early to baldness. Especially compared with his brother Pete, who, Bobby said, looked and dressed like Cary Grant, he knew where he stood: outside mainstream social circles.
He turned to shoplifting and other criminal activities, got busted several times, and served jail sentences. He attracted few girls and, after finding his way into radio work, drank heavily and resisted doing public appearances, which most DJs did. Waters asked him why he hated them, and Dale replied, " 'Cuz I thought I looked funny, and so did the teenagers."

What Dale had was a great radio voice, an unstoppable wit, and great ears for pop music. He was credited with turning "To Know Him Is to Love Him" by the Teddy Bears into a hit in 1958, thus helping launch the career of one of the Bears, Phil Spector.

He loved all kinds of music, and it was after his Top 40 years, when he landed at KSFO, that he flourished, playing what he wanted, bemoaning his status (he was constantly broke, and talked about getting promo copies of albums to sell at record stores), and doing outlandish, stream-of-consciousness "newscasts" every hour. Much of his work is captured on tape by his lovely former wife, Norma "Normi" Dale, known as "Carmelita" to Dale's listeners.

Waters quotes Dan Hicks calling Dale "radio's Hunter Thompson." Waters himself said that Dale was "W.C. Fields, Lord Buckley and Lenny Bruce rolled into one troublesome package," and that he was "a self-conscious and melancholy man whose great natural talents took him to the top and the bottom."Dale was brutally honest, funny and self-deprecating, to the end. Waters writes: "Ron Lyons was with Bobby the day a guy from the medical service delivered a shower chair. 'Bobby could barely sign the receipt,' Ron said, 'and as he was writing, the delivery guy looked at the wall, saw Bobby's pictures, and said, 'Hey, I know you. I've listened to you.' After he left, I turned to Bobby and said, 'You never get tired of that, do you?' And Bobby replied, 'No, man. He was just workin' me for the tip."

Waters published the book himself, and it can be ordered (at $21.95) via www.haveigotasongforyou.com. The site includes excerpts of Bobby Dale air checks.

http://www.haveigotasongforyou.com/ I checked the site out, it's pretty interesting. Read the excerpt under the "BOOK" tab. I tried to copy and paste it, but it wouldn't let me. Kenny

The agony of de feet

These are photos of my child bride's feet. She had a bunion removed and a hammer toe repaired 9 days ago. I wish I had taken "before" photos to show how bad Diane's foot was! A bunion sticks out of the side of the foot, next to the big toe. It is cut open, shaved off, and two screws are put in place to hold the bones behind the big toe in place. That is a pretty normal deal. The hammer toe, which is a toe that is bent back because of a tendon pulling it back is a whole 'nother problem! The tendon has to be wrapped around the top of the toe and stapled in place. The doc said the tendon is real thin and you can split it in two and wrap it around the joint behind the knuckle of the toe and that helps hold it down. She also has a pin inserted into the toe bone to help keep it in place, along with another 2 screws. The pin has to stay in place for 6 weeks. Diane is in an air cast and is hobbling around reasonably well. She was in quite a bit of pain, but that has subsided pretty much now. The biggest worry is not to bend the pin! The nurse told us it's no fun to pull out a bent pin. It's not really causing her any problems, but it's kinda gross to look at!

Sunday Blues Ride

As most of you know, the reason I'm Fair Weather Kenny is that I have an aversion to exercise in cooler weather. After a week of cool and wet weather, it was 45 degrees when I got up Sunday. I hadn't ridden for a week and it was time to drag out the "cold" weather gear. Cold is in Italics because Bill doesn't consider anything above 32 degrees cold. Anyway, I got out the tights, the under armor, the Gore gloves, and the best investment for a fair weather rider: my Loon teflon coated jacket. Still, I was having 2nd thoughts...I couldn't get my head wrapped around my first cool weather ride since May. Then I had a thought, TUNES! I'll wear my iPod and the music will get me through the ride. A certain portion of the music on my iPod I purchase because I listen to the "radio" portion of iTunes. In that radio section, it's broke down by genre, and I listen to electric blues. As the songs play, the artist and song title scroll on the top of the page. When I hear a song I like, I write it down. At some future time, I'll go through iTunes and buy the songs. For this reason, I have lots of songs I've only heard once and of course, forget I even have them on the iPod. I do most of my listening during the winter, while spinning or running. Anyway, I got the tunes set up, grabbed my camera, and off I went.

My head was cold at first but the rest of me was warm. I left the park and turned onto the NW Expressway, other wise known as Territorial Road. Not a hundred yards down the road, a big, beautiful hawk had landed on a telephone pole. Definitely a Kodak moment! Only thing, I've got these gloves on and the only way I can get the camera out of my back pocket is to stop, take a glove off, take out the camera, and then turn the camera on for the shot. Normally, in warm weather, I can do all this while still on the bike. The hawk watched me do all this, then just as I'm bringing the camera up for the shot, he takes off. Bastard. I watch him fly for a while and it looks like he is off to a grove of trees. So, opportunity missed, I put the camera away, put on the glove, and start pedaling. But wait, he came back to roost on another pole further down the road!

I go through the whole routine again, a little bit further away. I get closer, bring him in focus and start to zoom in. Just as I'm pressing the button down, he takes off! I may have gotten him as he's lifting off the pole.

Well, not quite. That's what I hate about point and shoot cameras. S-L-O-W, even with a high speed memory card.

Time to get going, I'm only 4 miles into this ride. I ride to Fletcher, head down 116 to Corcoran, and turn West on Cty. 10, cross 19 and finally turn South on 123. I get into Hanover and turn East on 117. When I get to 117 & 19, I estimate my mileage when I get home to be about 35 miles, and I want to get 40. I figure if I head South and take the Oakdale loop over to 116 and then head on home that should do it.

I turn on to Oakdale and a song I don't recognize starts coming through my ear phones. Something about a whiskey drinking woman. As I listen to it, I have to stop and see who and what this is. I think the Asian gal walking her ankle biter was getting nervous as I slowed down by her. I didn't think my explanation of a whiskey drinking woman would make her feel any more comfortable.

The song is by Luthor "Guitar Junior" Johnson, and is called "Whiskey Drinkin' Woman." These are the words to the chorus:

I got a whiskey drinkin woman, she gets drunk and wants to start a fight,

She's got me scared to go to work, I'm afraid to come home at night.

Nothing like the blues!

Other artists and songs I enjoyed:

Hang up and Drive, by Jimmy Thackery--Willin' to Burn, by Mark Selby--Black Bottom, by Omar and the Howlers--She's a Golddigger, by Ronnie Baker Brooks--Movin' On, by Lara Price--Detroit Iron, by Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers--Mended, by Ana Popovic

As I cruised along Oakdale, I came upon a farm with some great looking cattle. I figured they couldn't get away from me like the hawk.Well, the bike got in the photo somehow. Bill what have you started????

Aww, ain't he cute? He's Matt's size.

Ended up with 41 miles.

Cheq 2009: Bill Fucking Rocked!!

Bill Vitali, Chequamegon 2009: "I came, I kicked ass, and then I left."



Bill, one of the Amigos, turned in a stellar performance at the 2009 Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival. Bill beat his time of last year by 34 minutes! This is a remarkable feat regardless, but, what makes this even more remarkable is that he did it on a single speed bike! His previous efforts have all been made on multi-speed rides. I knew when I rode with Bill a couple weeks ago in Elm Creek that he was going to kick ass. Bill, we are very proud of you!

The Amigos got very short notice that where we've stayed the past 2 years was not available. We got lucky when a co-worker of Bob's let us stay at his cabin for free. We appreciated it very much....

....however, it was a tad bit small. We made do. Just another Chequamegon adventure.

Speaking of people who rocked, Dave Hoglund turned in a 2:32 time! Unfortunatley, he had cramps that shut him down for about 10 minutes, or he could have had an even better time.

Jay and Berger relaxing after the race. This was something like Jay's 400th time doing the race. Mike, along with Neil and Larry were riding spectators and were at the finish to partake in "lemonade" with us!

Bob, who has pneumonia, but still rode great on his single speed, is having some sort of solitary vision moment. Not sure if he's seeing the Virgin Mary in the clouds or what.

Dave (back to camera), Luke Thompson and his dad, Jay. Luke rode his first ever mtb race, the Short and Fat. He did great! Lynn and Neil aren't having a very good time, but they're making do.

FWK didn't fare as well as I wanted to. I had hoped to finish at best at 3:15, and at worst at 3:30. I finished at 3:30:54. I never felt strong, even in the flats where I should have. No idea why. But, I had a great time with my cycling buddies. Well, there is always next year. If we get in, of course. But that is another story, right Bob and Matt?

Video Introduction to Breck, 2009.

Being that Blogger will not let me make comments on the individual videos, I will do so from the top and work my way down.

This blog goes on for 2 pages. There is another section with photos and my usual witty commentary after the video section.

JACK'S CRUEL JOKE, PT 1,2,3
Jack's Cruel Joke is appropriately named. It starts off innocently enough in a nice little neighborhood one block off the main drag of Breckenridge. It is a series of switchbacks that climbs 300 feet in .47 of a mile. That incline is part of the problem. The other couple things are the nasty rocky and steep turns of the switchbacks and then there are the straight stretches. These are narrow and off camber. If you fall, you will get hurt. I walk the bastards. Hopefully, the videos will portray the difficulty that photos cannot.

PINBALL
Pinball is a very short stretch of trail that is reached by taking a trail called Baker's Tank. Baker's Tank is an old water tank located on Boreas Pass Road. It was a watering tank for steam locomotives crossing over the pass. Pinball rides fast, but isn't dangerous. It's banked and goes through a few trees. It's a fun little ride.

TEN MILE RANGE
The Ten Mile Range is the name of the mountains on the West side of Breck. They are the reason why so many skiers go there. Peaks 8 and 9 are prime ski mountains.

SALLIE BARBER
Sallie Barber is an abandoned mine located about 6 miles up on the East range of Breck and is at about 11,500 feet. It's all dirt road to get to it, it's difficult to pedal to only because you're constantly climbing. There is a new single track trail located at the top that was a lot of fun to ride. Fun, because I could do it! The trail is located on an older, closed trail called "Nightmare on Baldy", which is basically a wash chute on the mountain. I could see why they closed it! The new trail did not have a sign post, so I don't know its name.

BRECK 100 TRAIL
I don't know the name of this trail either, I just know it's part of the Breck 100 mile mountain bike race. Not very Kenny friendly.

LOWER LAKE
There are two lakes in the bowl between Peaks 8 and 9. This is the lower one, and is the first time I made it there by bike. It is at about 12,200 feet. I started out at 9,665 in Breck and made it to 11,400 before it got really difficult to pedal. Elevation and the terrain make you humble.

REAR GEARS
A short video on the size of the rear cassette of the bike I rented. The cassettes on bikes you ride in flat country are much smaller (less teeth on the gears), the bigger the cassette, the easier it is to pedal. If you look closely, you will see I'm in 2nd gear.

BURRO TRAIL
The Burro Trail is the trail you have to take to get to lower lake. It actually connects you to a jeep road, which connects you to another mountain road, which brings you to a fenced off road that you ride around and then climb another jeep road to get to where the lake is. Right near Francie's Cabin. Got all that? You'll just have to trust me.

Jack's Cruel Joke, pt 1