A year back, I commented on the trend of Man Buns - which still have not made a positive impact on me. Lately the annoyance has been the burly beards of the Lumberjack look. Myself, I'd be thrilled to retain my full head of hair.
I found a fabulous photo archive of Men's hair styles in the early 1970's that took me down memory lane. And they were BIG! It talked about how they were Romantic in the Gothic sense, going back to Edwardian England. Imposed on the flower power era, that became the essence of an epic Quentin Collins in Dark Shadows. Big sideburns, over the ears and mullet down the back. I saw a Tom Jones video clip this week and had to stop the frame to see if it was indeed a hair-do and not an actual wig. Women had bouffants, but the men were not far behind. Add facial hair and you look like the Woolly Man magnet games. Here is a gallery of some doozies. They say that style is cyclical.... Enjoy.
There are few flowers as lovely as vines of lovely purple wisteria hanging from a trellis, patio or gazebo. I have friends who have tried to cultivate them here in MN. But whether harsh winters or humid lake temps, they just do not thrive here. Most things here tend to grow upwards rather than cascading down.
A year back I was in Amsterdam where the tulips & bulbs were the show-stealers, But there was also an abundance of lovely Wisteria on ancient doorways and hidden in alleys. Last week I found an article about two amazing floral gardens in Japan. One is Ashikaga Flower Park outside of Tokyo.It will feature more than 350 wisteria trees in full bloom during this
year’s Great Wisteria Festival from April 15 to May 22. Even the nighttime display under lights is ethereal. The other is in a distant city of Kawachi where they have the Fujien Wisteria Garden with ticketed admission from April 22 to May 7. There are tunnels and arcades just dripping in literal Purple Rain. Putting this on the bucket list, but it has to be perfectly timed for these late spring weeks of April and May.
I have not, and will likely never jump on the bandwagon of craft beers. I am good with a simple Mich Gold on ice during a hot summer day, or maybe an Illusive Traveler - a tutti frutti malt beverage - if I can find it on a happy hour menu. Craft cocktails are great, if you can afford them. Wines are always fun to explore. But sometimes I am met with disappointment on opening the wrong bottle that just didn't hit the mark and then having to finish an entire litre of acidic grapes. I am a freak that still grabs the Bartle's & Jayme's from the back of the grocery store for a guilty pleasure.
But when it comes to soda pop, I am all in. I'm a Pespi guy over Coke. And anything with artificial sweeteners in it, just curdles in my mouth. Sugar rush for me. But I tend to gravitate to the unusual flavors; like a Mug rootbeer or a Vernor's ginger ale. A childish pilgrimage for me is heading West out to Jim's Apple Farms where I can explore their massive coolers of small-batch pops. Everything from Grape to Creamsicle. When I get the occasional horrible concoction, it is only a few sips lost and then you move onto the next.
On a recent flight out East, I was taken by a feature in the magazine that pointed out a new website called Five Star Sodas by So Hearn and Zach Slaight. It is basically a blog listing of any possible small batch soda in the US. They target mom and pop shops that have a Regional following. Boot's Coconut Cream Soda - "imagine a pina colada with notes of pie crust." Root's Soda Kaleidoscope - "like a fruit punch with balsamic vinegar, but so much better than it sounds." The possibilities are endless. The web page sorts them in knowing categories like Citrus, Colas, Fruits, Root Beers....... The art direction of the photos themselves deserves mention. Each explicit review starts with the History of the product as well as where to find it. Then the taste buds are highlighted in Nose, Taste, Finish and finally a rating. It is a slick, informative and playful way to experience the wonder that is soda pop. Check it out!
Five Star Soda
