This is Spark is a Diamond, my current favorite flavor of the day.
I can understand if some people are put off by them a little, bit, but I happen to love them. Spark is a Diamond is made up of old hardcore musicians who decided to take their hardcore roots and mix them with a dancey sound. I think it's great, but to see her voice tear in like that is a little disconcerting at first, especially when most vocalists with guttural sounds like that sport t-shirts, crusty jeans and dreads.
The song is called "Check Your Lease, You're In Fuck City," and it's also a little appropo because I'm talking about a F-town right now.
In F-town, there was a little, family-run Italian restaurant that TFN and I loved a lot. You almost always needed to make reservations because the food was wonderful and they only had 10 tables. We went there for our Anniversary, and just about anytime we wanted to take someone out for something "nice." It wasn't fancy or expensive, it was just cozy and intimate and had amazing food. It was our version of the Italian restaurant in that Billy Joel song.
They closed a couple weeks ago. We're going to miss them very much.
It's indicative of what's going on all around us right now. Steffie is a local here in F-town - all in all, she's a sweetheart and a royal character - who publishes and delivers a local publication called Ferndale Friends (She's also a musician, a Green Party Activist and a transgender activist, but we're focussing on the paper right now). In the latest issue, there was simply a photo page of all the closed businesses here in F-town, with a simple headline that read something like "What are we going to do about this?" It was simple and gutsy, but true.
F-Town does seem to be in a little bit of a dilemma here, though, and it's indicative of what's going on in Detroit and in Michigan as a whole. F-town is a progressive and hip little island populated by a population made up of young DINK couples and a large gay population. There are some random white trash holdouts from Ferndale's older days, but for the most part, we're on the upswing. We have bike lanes and a passion for supporting local business. F-town has the state's first openly gay mayor, too, who is also a really cool guy that I've spoken with at a few city council meetings... where am I going with this accolade of my town? Oh right, but in the last several months, we not only lost Maria's, but also our record store, the Old Navy, a fancy-schmancy Italian place )that I didn't like anyway because it was expensive and the chef they're thought that more salt was called for in every case), and a ton of other types of businesses.
Our little boutiquey downtown is getting peppered with vacant storefronts.
Last night, in our quest to find a good Italian meal, TFN and I ended up in Royal Oak. Where we went was nice: the food was good, as was the wine (if a little pricey), and there was a jazz band that did a great cover of "Purple Rain." It was no Maria's, but it was nice, and they did a killer (but also expensive) Spanish coffee. As we walked to the place, though, we saw that the ice cream place that we always ride our bikes to on hot days was also closed.
It makes me a little sad right now. What's going to turn things around?
On a happier note, yesterday kicked off National Bike Month. Get out on your bike! There are host of events scheduled throughout the country, but the best way you can observe the month is to just ride. I won't bore you with all the stats or the activist talk, I'll simply say riding bikes is fun!
Ooooh, also, the hole in the ozone layer is up for auction. I'm warning you, though - if you buy it, you better fix it up.
3 comments:
It makes me a little sad, too. I even see vacancies at the mall, which don't make me AS sad as downtown vacancies, but empty mall space is definitely a bad sign.
I keep passing this bike at McClain's, where they have all these bikes lined up out front for the big sale for Nat'l Bike Month. It's pink (but not Barbie Doll Pink, or Mary Kay Pink, kind of an in-between pink) with big fenders and it would probably be pretty cool with a straw basket in front. Could I get away with a bike like that?
I wonder if bike shops are doing well these days, what with $3.80/gal and all.
My old bike's handlebars are way loose and spinny, and I can't tighten them with the wrench, probably because it's a super-cheap bike to begin with.
That's why I'd like a new bike. A pink one. And a polka-dot dress to wear while riding the bike to the liquor store. And maybe a mini-Zenzi to go in the straw basket.
A mini-Zenzi and a bell!
It's raining. I'm going to go see if I can shrink my dog. If she shrinks, it's a sign from God that I deserve a pink bike with a straw basket and a bell!
If she doesn't shrink, I'll need a plan B.
I think a pink bike with a basket would be perfect. If I were you though, I'd go with a bell AND a horn.
Don't know why I didn't leave a comment last time, but thanks for stopping by the other day. :)
Post a Comment