No. 24: MY (KINDA) TOWN

I admit it, before stumbling upon the amazing SALOON photo (below) I’d never heard of the border town called Douglas, Arizona. But the more I read and saw about town the more I knew I had to get there some day.

Douglas is situated in Cochise County. Its history revolves around mining, ranching, and gunfighting. Cochise County was home to a bunch of historical heroes, rogues and wranglers such as Geronimo (the Geronimo Memorial, the site of his 1886 surrender is in Skeleton Canyon just outside Douglas), Cochise, Thornton Wilder, John Slaughter, Wyatt Earp, and Doc Holliday and their tales played out, sometimes violently, across the tapestry of the county's grasslands and deserts.

Gotta get to my namesake town some day. Some day.

No. 23: BACK PORCH

No. 22: MONTREAL, PART DEUX

Inspired by a “corned beef sandwiches” story just posted over at ACL I thought I’d post this shot (this was my ‘medium fat’ order) and spread a little Montréal smoked meat love. A few weeks ago we were in Montréal for the weekend. I hadn't been there in a couple years and hadn’t eaten at Schwartz’s in many years. This iconic time machine of an eatery never disappoints. Their smoked meat is sublime.

No. 21: OLD SCHOOL

I just picked up this very old schoolhouse desk at auction. It’s a primitive double-seater from the 1800s. This is a great piece but I feel for the kids that after milking the cows, feeding the chickens, and bringing in the firewood then walking 5 miles to school — in the snow! — would have to sit at this thing all day. Good to see a few of the old-time kids had some “rebel” in them.

No. 20: DELICIOUS VINTAGE IN MONTREAL

We took a bit of a rural break and went on a little road trip to Montréal this past weekend to celebrate my wife’s birthday. Montréal is a great food town and we're lucky to be good friends with two of its finest restauranteurs, Allison Cunningham and Fred Morin of Joe Beef, Liverpool House, and McKiernan fame. We met Allison for an outstanding dinner at Liverpool House. Later in the night we went/staggered next door to Joe Beef and met up with Fred who was hanging out with fellow restaurant guys, the 2 Franks of Frankies Spuntino fame in Brooklyn (457) and Manhattan (17). Joe Beef is not only an incredible eating experience but for a guy with an admitted big love of vintage its also quite the visual feast.

 

Big buffalo hanging low in the co-ed can.

Frankie Castronovo of Frankies Spuntino sporting a Habs toque. When in Rome . . .

Fred Morin holding court in the candleabra’s glow.