On the Street

"High culture, low culture, and no culture all co-existing uneasily in another episode of On the Street. As always read at your own risk."

On the Street

Fiesta came and went. And sadly, another week was spent trapped inside behind books. And yet the web-log goes on. As always, to the letters...

Letters (to the Penthouse Suite)

#1 Absinthe Returns

From paid informant Jennifer came this brief message...

Mark,
Came across this article and thought you'd enjoy it. :-)

Absinthe's Mind-Altering Mystery Solved - Yahoo! News

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20080429/sc_livescience/absinthesmindalteringmysterysolved

The article is quite similar to one that I originally read regarding St. George Spirits. The absinthe ingredient thujone is discussed and then dismissed. Thujone, in some ways, is like global warming and carbon dioxide - the results are there but the reasons for are still debated.

And just when I thought the absinthe talk was done for the week...

#2 Absinthe Returns Again (But Never Left)

Hi Mark,

Hope all went well with the party. Wondering if you are planning on running an item about the absinthe verte. Let me know too if there's anything you need (distiller bios, artwork, etc.)

Thanks,
Kate

A promise was made to drink the absinthe, oddly, for the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. We'll see what happens...

#3 Coming Home

From 3 Walls Gallery came this notice for First Friday...

Justin Parr

Home

Three Walls
May 2-26, 2008

Opening First Friday May 2, 6-9pm

night picnic on the grass Wednesday May 7, 7-11pm
ceremonial lawn cutting May 26 @ 5pm (also show closing)

open by appointment, 210-219-1562

Three Walls is located in studio 106D Blue Star, Building B, San Antonio, TX

(sin permiso)

The ceremonial lawn cutting makes me wonder - perhaps this really is the year of The Garden? May 26 will be the answer. On the other hand, shades of anthropomorphism might still be found this week at Joan Grona Gallery on First Friday. The (false) debate continues...

#4 On the Street Foreign Correspondent from La Paz Bear Briefly Reports In

With the title Hola Amigos, came this message...

Hola amigos... I hope y'all are all doing well and gearing up for at least a little summertime relaxation up in the States. I know everyone's busy... but I wanted to share with you all that I have just finished my new website (same address as the old one www.bearguerra.com) and I'd love for you to check it out when you have a few minutes and see some of what I've/we've been working on lately. Of course any feedback/thoughts/suggestions would be most appreciated...

The new website for all to check out. Fotos On the Street only aspires towards.

Last Friday (Aka, Time to Break Out the Umbrellas)

On the way to the Downtown Highlife ride. And yes, as always, that means rain is shortly behind.

The Battle of Flowers Parade was missed. But a glimpse of T 'n T - tacos and turkey legs. (More on them later.)

A late word was sent out to meet at the VFW Hall instead of the Alamo. We rolled down to alert anyone who didn't get the message.

There was a large gathering of people at the Atlee Ayers VFW Hall. Televisions, turkey legs, and cans of Pearl Light were everywhere. Word of an impending storm was shared amongst riders. Some left early to avoid the monsoon. Others took their chance.

Saturday

Saturday began late. A trip was made to King William Festival. A detour was made on Wickes Street. By the time we arrived to King William proper there was still a few people left...

This genormous smoker/atomic bomb had its own force of gravity. It was a foreshadowing of turkey legs to come.

OTS Insider Margaret Levi Honeycutt makes a note about an architectural detail.

If any image summarized Saturday perhaps it was this one. Not for anything out of the ordinary, just a casual interaction.

Hyperbubble breaking down the equipment. Yeah, that was missed as well.

And so began the walk out. Rumors of more music at Beethoven's lured us that away.

Exploding Sex Kittens were just finishing their set as we arrived. Dr. Escamilla, on the left with the guitar, was a prominent aspect of the cover story from back in January, "The Kids Are Alright", for those that recall.

One half of the Lutz Brothers on the mic. They had just finished singing a Hickoids standard.

The Party is Over

In basketball, the Spurs finally got past the Suns, and perhaps for good. As with the Mavericks, self-implosion was heard across the Southwest.

The long lost red-headed son of Uwe Blab (a Maverick stiff drafted one spot before Joe Dumars) gives his impression of the firing of Avery Johnson (Spurs Jersey Retiree). He seems to be okay with the decision.

And then there's this journalist who thinks otherwise.

This cheeseball video celebrates the Suns historic letdowns. In that sense, it's hilarious, at least for a few moments.

Here, the Phoenix Suns address their recent demise to the media. There's lots of schadenfreude here, as well as praise from the Spurs. Raja Bell's comments are the most interesting.

Like Avery Johnson, the Suns coach is on the way out as well. It hasn't happened yet but it will soon.

And so where does that leave the Spurs? Their two biggest rivals (Dallas and Phoenix) are now complete ghosts. Though the Spurs get older, somehow they're still right at the head of the pack. After a regular season that seemed full of questions, things are looking good again.

The city regroups. The Spurs move ahead. Interest rates are lowered again as a potentially desperate and predictable move to improve the economy/give breaks to the banking industry. Plans for the Brackenridge Golf Course site are debated. And yet, some of our best weather yet for April. Spring wanes. Summer looms.

And so goes another week on the streets of San Antonio. As always, to be continued...