80. Announcing The EBUBC

Hiya Folks!

In celebration of EB's announcement of an official EB Downtown Revitalization Project--noted last week by the mayor in the town daily--- we here at The Propane Gas Tank would like to announce the EB Ugly Building Contest! Although we agree that downtown is long overdue for a facelift, we fear that some of the...true character of downtown may be lost in the process of trying to give it character.

Having been an official resident of EB for 2 summers now; just long enough for some of the homeliness of downtown to become ALMOST endearing; we'd like to award these special structures before the EB Historical Society gets out their sledgehammers.

Soon, we fear, the 50's-70's stucco and lava rock fascades shall be ripped down--exposing ornate, geometric brick patterns, with shiny brass "historically accurate" number plates smothering their entryways, and French style flower boxes will magically appear, with garish, water-hogging annuals, and those Englishy fake antique glass lamposts will be erected every two feet. Sidewalks will widen. Next thing you know, there will be open- air cafes with couples sucking down carmel lattes, and dining on regional cuisines...And God forbid, shoe repair shops will close and become restaurants with wine lists! Shoot, next thing you know--we'll have an airport! And don't get us started on the choice of font for the municpal signage. Oy...

Perhaps we here at The PGT are guilty of being overly sentimental for an architectural time period that should be erased from the books. Change is inevitable.

Tune in every week for a new posting, or until we run out of buildings. We will do our best to bring you the ugliest of the ugly, and then let you, our beloved audience, decide their fate.
So which is it? Mid century madness, or Office park berm filler?

As ever,
Ms. Jane D'oh and The PGT Team

See is Believing
Our first entry, "Mauve Steel" Photo taken by an overtaken Que.
Click image to see breath-taking mottled brick facade.

The team agrees, this building is damned ugly.

79. Promises In the Dark

Promises, promises.
And now, a few of those Nev/ID photos I promised you...

Soundtrack for the desert:
Bowie Space Oddity
Galaxy 500
Lots of Looper
Tokyo Space Cowboys


We pass through Ca's mountain region and into Nevada. This shiny, new camp is tucked neatly into a valley on the Ca/Nev border. Judging on the proud signage, I'd guess it was constructed in the past 5 years. Hmm...


We pass through a very remote area of North Nev desert---not too far from the infamous Ignited Person Festival. We spot signs of the festival's visitors along the highway's intersection. Hundreds of names and messages are spelled with collected lava rocks. Most of them are too small or illegible to read from our passing car. I imagine that there are a few peace signs and maybe a couple of hearts...



Que and I have noted this unique structure a few times now, calling it, 'the crazy artist thing'. We finally have time to stop and inspect it up close...




I don't normally like found object art, but in this case, it seems very appropriate.




The son of the artist is still living, and apparently looks after the grounds.






No problem!




The structures are constructed from bags of cement with found man-made discarded objects embedded into them....as well as some beautiful natural found materials such as wood and stone.



Que and I both agree that the artist's message is successful.





I leave with a new found respect for 'the crazy artist thing', which upon closer inspection, doesn't seem all that crazy anymore.

We plough into Idaho....

Fun Nev/Idaho cloudplay


McMansions divide the endless stretches of corn and potato fields. Judging by the style of the structures, they look like they're all built in the past 2-5 years.


This is the first tank of this stuff we've seen in the area.


The only non-whites in ID seem to be seasonal workers working in the ethanol corn fields.


!

...Which makes for good eatin' if you're traveling through the rural areas during the picking season. The closest authentic taqueria to El Big is located in a migrant town near the border of Oregone and Boyzie. Occasionally one may see a tacky Disneyland-type Chinese restaurant, but even they are rare.

A new drive-through coffee business located across from our hotel in Boyzie. What year is it, 1987? Just another bizarre example of Idaho's strange social contrasts. Que makes a u-turn so I can get a photo of it. (Click photo to read signage) And no, I have no idea if their double lattes are any good.




A favorite stretch on the Idaho desert. Yes, even Idaho has a magic hour.


Adios Idaho. Take me home, Country roads.
***

77. Fire

Last night we had a fire on the mountain. The papers said it was approximately 150 to 200 acres in size. This is not surprising as we've had warm weather in the mid 90's with dramatic and sudden thunderstorms in the evenings. Most of the burning is in heavy timber and dense sub-alpine fir stands with a lot of dead trees. All the campers had evacuated.
***

76. VSOPD

Very Special Onion Photo Day. Thanks to guest photographer, Que. Bossy art direction by yours truly.

Yes, that's a world-famous Wolla Wolla from the El Big Farmer's Market, grown right here in the big valley. Apparently the onion originally came from Italy. Someone brought it to the area in the late 1800's. Impressed by the new onion's winter hardiness, they harvested the seed. Located just 2 and a half hrs directly north of El Big, and just on the opposite side of the border and the Azul Mountains, Wolla Wolla is a rural college community much like El Big, with an abundance of trees in this generally arid region. The annual temperatures range from 32.4 to 88.9 degrees, just perfect temperatures for growing lots of really big onions.

Happy Labor Day, friends. Hope you get some time to relax a bit on the long weekend.

xo,
Ms. Jane d'oH

***

75. The Long Drive Home

The Long Drive Home
Ca-Nevada-Idaho-El Big

Soundtrack from California to Nevada:
Newly purchased The Format
The Beatles
Seemingly endless Glen Gould mp3's
The Smiths imitators, Silent Gray
Guilty pleasure ELO
Tidbits of NPR around the cities
and Name That Tune to various statiic-filled Classic Rock radio stations.


Once again, goodbye California. Well, for now.


Artichoke fields, Salinas



Good bye behemoth ads on everything. I won't miss that part of you at all. No, not even...

...the ones I'm partially responsible for.


Goodbye insanely beautiful beaches with crazy looking Dr. Suess-like succulents growing wild everywhere...


Goodbye strange, California contradictions---Such as this car in front of us on our way out of the Bay Area. Yes, that's an anti AYE-SEE-EL-U (sic) sticker on a Preeus. Reminds me of an old boss of mine in SF. Anyway...!

The caricature artist, Juan Hijo de Sostenido.
Goodbye to all the gradeschool pals who you happen to run into while visiting the family. Nice seeing you after 100 years. Stay in touch, Juan!


Goodbye to all those fleshy pink brick soundwalls that snake along just about every highway in California...


...

...

Why, hello Nevada...


First things first. Some online research leads us to a perfect meal at Vietnamese restaurant that's tucked away just on the outskirts of town.


What the...? Hello eye candy.
With our good fortune, we roll into town the same night as the famous annual car show. Que scores an online discount room at one of the casinos...

We drop off our bags off and bolt out of the casino with cameras in hands...

Insert gurgled announcers voices blaring over the rumbling mufflers...





50's music...


...and the smell of car exhaust from the hundreds of old cars chugging by...












Wish I could stay longer, but we have to go. Goodbye Reno...

Hello Idaho!

...to be continued.