Great Taste of the Midwest '08

You know how you can tell when you're at the best beer festival anywhere? When they have a bubbler (that's a water fountain for you non-Wisconsin residents, poor saps) that's plumbed to dispense beer! I'll bet this was the most-photographed beer tap at the festival.

Attendance, as always, was impressive:

Eye-catching t-shirts from year's Great Taste of the Midwest beer festival:

Why?

Zooey Deschanel and Matt Ward put on a great show at the Barrymore last night, but this is the second show I've been to at this venue where a singer with a phenomenal voice was lost in the instrumentals because the sound man couldn't find the right balance. I'm sure the rest of the band's talented, but why even bother to give Zooey a microphone if you're not going to let us hear her?

The same thing happened when Suzanne Vega came to town. When she sang a capella or accompanied herself on acoustic guitar the show was magical, but when the rest of the band came out the sound man cranked up the volume until Suzanne's voice was so distant she might as well have been in Chicago.

And I'm not necessarily blaming the Barrymore. For all I know, the bands bring their own sound engineers. The Leo Kottke / Leon Redbone show was possibly the most enjoyable concert experience I've ever had, so I know it can be done. To the other guys: Louder is not better.

The Book in the Window

at the corner of Baldwin and Willy Street.

Seen at the farmer's market ...

Seen At The Hardware Store

There truly is a product for everything, and this one was on sale at the local Ace Hardware store, right in front of the checkout counter where God and everybody could see it.

Sunday Morning On The Yahara

Boats on the river between Upper Mud Lake and Squaw Bay, as seen from Bridge Street in Monona.

Spot the Chicken

Can't see it?

Wait, I'll get a little closer ...













See it now?
















How about now?

The thick cables fastening its legs to the ground suggest that perhaps the owner has had some trouble with vandals in the recent past.

Dane County Farmer's Market!

The view north up Mifflin Street as we did our weekly shopping this morning.

Most of the buskers at the Dane County Farmer's Market play guitars. A few of them bring violins (or fiddles, depending on how they're played) and every so often a flautist shows up.

I think this is the first time I've seen a guy playing a vibraphone for tips, though.

We threw a couple bucks in his case (yes, he brought it in a case) partly because he was good and we enjoyed listening, and partly because it takes a lot of moxie to get up early and lug your vibraphone all the way to cap square.

[Later: It's been pointed out to me that this is a marimba, which prompted me to look up the difference. According to Wikipedia - and what could be more definitive than Wikipedia? - a vibraphone has aluminum bars and a pedal. A marimba has rosewood bars, and the far row of keys are above and overlap the near row. Now I know.]

Rubber Duckies Galore!

At The Soap Opera on State Street

Dusty Clock

Always the Trend-Setter

My Darling B in her newest summer outfit, which she specially tailored her own self for a day's gardening in the hot sun.

You might be driving a piece of junk if ...

... it is more rust than rust-colored.

A Philosophical Battle

I'd put money on the guy riding the dragon.

Piepalooza!

Time for another Piepalooza at the Fork & Spoon Cafe.

Restaurants from around the city donate pies to the event, which benefits the REAP Food Group.

A ticket lets you try two slices of pie. I had a slice of breakfast pie, which is pretty much what it sounds like: it's got some eggs, some bacon, some cheese and I don't know what else. And for dessert I had raspberry rhubarb. My Darling B tried a slice of cheese pie and a slice of something loaded with chocolate and caramel and all kinds of whipped cream.

Duct tape fixes everything

Seen at the art fair yesterday.

Art Fair On The Square!

Come gawk at the trinkets with me!

If I could afford to buy just one piece at the Art Fair On The Square, I'd want to take home one of these amazing little cigar boxes.