Ralph Lomma died earlier last month. Lomma helped to create the face of America in the 1950's (the part that sticks in people's memories, anyway) at least as much as Milton Levine.
Lomma's influence extends far beyond Scranton, PA, where he and his brother Alphonse reinvigorated miniature golf, both geographically and culturally. One universal example would be Ralph's invention of the final hole's "Ball in the Clown's Mouth" feature that could just maybe win you a free game, but kept your ball either way.
I've got a lot of childhood memories thanks to these guys, too.
It seems that, around the time of the early days of the Kennedy administration, pizza 'pie,' * folk singing and my parents' marriage breaking up (all mostly unrelated, I'm sure) there was, out West here, a bit of a boom in peewee golf.
And, what was a young, newly-single father of an eight-year old boy supposed to do on visitation days, huh? Well, if it rained, we would usually be found at one of the art house cinemas that dotted Berkeley - especially the Northside, which had a pizza joint built into the basement - watching revivals of Marx Brothers and W.C. Fields movies and a wide variety of foreign films. **
If it didn't rain, we were usually at a peewee (or 'midget') golf course (or the occasional street art fair, which is undoubtedly why I still enjoy working them to this day.)
There were many to choose from: Berkeley's Ace in the Hole (which had scaled-down reproductions of several familiar landmarks), a fairly no-frills indoor course in Richmond that eventually became an auto parts store (I remember the challenging loop-the-loop hole that went through a wall), the Chabot 9-hole Pitch-and-Putt course that had some miniature golf holes associated with it and, most (in)famously, Pinole's Pee Wee Golf. You could always spot the giant stucco Tyrannosaurus Rex (well, giant by peewee golf standards - about 7 feet tall) as you drove past the place, especially if it was after dark and the red light bulb eyes were turned on. This place was about the last home-grown peewee golf course to survive, before the highly-franchised outfits like Skandia Fun Centers muscled in. Pinole's course achieved a sort of immortality because of this, however, as it was used as a location in "American Graffiti." (<---click on this link to see the Director in the pinball parlor. boy, does he look young; Star Wars must've really taken it out of him, huh?) This was also the course where I took a really grand backswing (the better to zip the ball past the windmill's blades)and clopped my 2nd cousin Dave right on the chin, sending him reeling backwards, stunned. I made the shot, tho.

Today, it seems, there are still quite a few courses around, but they do seem to be of the 'cookie-cutter,' corporate clone franchise style. (I must give credit to three of the most innovative, an-absolute-gas-to-play courses that I have ever played (and did so with my son (and wife and daughter, too) at Orlando's Disney World. They are nothing short of what you would expect The Mouse to create - terrific, even in the teeth of 1999's Hurricane Floyd!) The Santa Cruz Boardwalk's all-weather indoor course (formerly the Natatorium) is pretty good, too, and has a wonderful Boardwalk Museum upstairs.)
Probably some of the most innovative peewee golf holes can, of course, be found at the Maker Faire some years. These are definitely worth checking out! I can't wait until my (soon-to-be)grandson will be tall enough to swing a putter!!!

* I couldn't fathom why anybody would call it pizza 'pie', when it wasn't any thicker that the top crust of one of my grandmother's apple creations; it read like some sort of swindle. Then, one day, in downtown Chicago in late 2008, my wife and newly-minted sailor son had lunch at Pizzeria Uno at E Ohio and N Wabash. This was, in 1943, the birthplace of Chicago-style deep dish pizza, thanks to Ike Sewell. Now That's Pie! Many thanks, Ike!

** Remember, this was before the development of regular UHF television stations (and waaaaay before the invention of cable or satellite dishes), for which such flicks were standard fare.

Well, mostly, sorta, kinda. And it's only temporary - really temporary - for but a split second, according to astronomers.
The Autumnal Equinox ("Equal Night") is about to happen. sometimes it actually does happen on the 21st *, usually the 22nd and sometimes the 23rd. The 24th is a really rare occasion, and we're not likely to see it.** And here, deep beneath Downtown California, we need to rely on the reports of other knowledgable individuals, because it's night all day down here.
Observed for centuries as signalling of the impending Autumn (in the Northern Hemisphere - remember, Down Under, it's the beginning of Spring! Time to drag out the barbie (-que, not the doll)) many celebrations have evolved from it. Greek mythology held that it was the day that Persephone returned to her husband Hades; Jewish tradition says that an egg can be stood on its end for a few hours on either side of the Equinox; Pagans celebrate it as Mabon (but not this Mabon ) and begin to prepare for Winter; the Christian church replaced their Michaelemas wingding with the Eqinox observations and the Chinese have the Moon (or Mooncake) Festival . Check out just exactly what is inside a traditional mooncake; you'll likely not find reference to 'jujube filling' anywhere else!
My personal experience with the flip-over from the nights being longer than the days, at least before inhabiting our subterranean digs, was to find that I would become more anxious with each passing day, as though every day would find me just a little bit shorter time-wise. (And, oddly enough,this would last far beyond the Spring Equinox (when, of course, the days would become longer than the nights), since the crummy foggy, overcast late winter weather would effectively disguise whenever sunset happened along.)

Whatever the Equinox means to you, be it impending fall colors and comforting fall food or stress because your Christmas (or Winter Holiday) shopping isn't done, we wish you the best from down here!

Sometimes it's not only nice, but important, to 'take a giant step outside your mind,' as noted musician Taj Mahal has so lyrically put it.

(note: the Mud People that I am referring to have no relation whatsoever to the misguided and often racist depictions cast by some less enlightened types...)

A deliberately anonymous group of people in the San Francisco region have, from time to time, taken their message to the streets, and I really dig it!

Meet The Mud People.

Casting aside their present world preconceptions, these adventurous folk will, once per year, doff their middle-class urban trappings, slather themselves liberally with good ol' mud, and explore the too-familiar-to-actually-see-it landscape with new eyes, as though encountering it for the first time.
It is my understanding that anonymity is quite important for several reasons: it completely removes any ego, thereby freeing up the mind to better appreciate the world around them; one doesn't have to fret about remembering anyone's name, and often many of the Mud Ones are professionals, doctors, attorneys and the like, and it could cause some awkward moments in the board rooms.
Believe me, second only to the St. Stupids Day Parade, witnessing the celebrants on Mud Day is an amazing, thought-provoking experience. Imagine ambling down the usual Financial District street only to encounter several people dressed like Asaro Papua New Guinea natives crouching at the curb and exploring the texture of a fire hydrant up close and personal.
I find that just thinking along those lines helps me to see those invisible things that are right in front of my face. (Ok, I've never been accused of having a good grasp of the obvious...) It really helps me to appreciate the good stuff that is always there, but virtually invisible.

Actually, it turns out that there are many Mud Festivals all across our globe (and not just at Woodstock!) Check one out with your Third Eye opened wide. You don't have to be a seven year old boy to get muddy!

Wow, what a weekend ahead.....!

...And us just having returned from a whirlwind trip to San Diego to witness our son's nuptials (well, ok, it was his fiancee's nuptials, as well...) to find that this was the week that we would have a new roof put on our house. (note: our house is the above-ground part of our subterranean studios; it's where our Express Marmot takes the outbound shipments and collects the weird things that fans send us thru the mail. and thanks for those, btw......) It's difficult to concentrate, but nevertheless reassuring to know that all that pounding is actually happening outside one's head.....

For openers, this coming saturday will find me loitering about at The Crucible, offering some of our strange wares and doing flameworking demos at their Open House. It's something that happens a few times every year, and is always an entertaining and enlightening affair. (We're looking forward to hearing some of the tales that the Staff brings back from Burning Man!)
Aaaaand, ya get to watch demos by other departments, too, and get a heads up for some of the new courses that will be offered. (D'ya like leatherwork? Didja know that a Sewing Department is in the works...? Lotsa hot fun to be had there, I'm sure....) You can usually find discounts for classes that you sign up for on that day, too!

And, as if that weren't enough abuse on the ol' protoplasm, sunday will once again find us in our usual spot (Solano at Nielson, right by the Bank of America) for the 37th annual World's Longest Block Party *, The Solano Stroll.
Be sure to be there in time for the 10 am step-off of the annual parade, which starts at the top of Solano and sensibly heads downhill toward San Pablo Avenue. It's always fun to see who (and what) winds up in the parade. This year's parade theme is "Unsung heroes." That ought to be worth an aria or two....

Hope to see you seeing us there!

... of the musical saw once again combined with the shrill blast of the steam train whistle at the 34th annual International Musical Saw Festival, held the weekend of August 13 and 14 at the Roaring Camp picnic grounds near Santa Cruz.
It was my first Saw Festival, and it was so much fun! Of course, I’ve known of the festival for a long time. My husband, Ralph McCaskey, has taken the Festival photos for several years, and our daughter, Caroline McCaskey, won the Saw-Off in 2007. This was the first year I was able to attend, though, and I went with the purpose of writing this account of it, at the request of IMSA President Morgan Cowin.
The first thing I must mention is that Morgan was able to attend! He was feeling well enough after his latest treatment for lymphatic cancer, and we found him Sunday morning already helping to set up the stage and sound system. He looked great and even better, he confirmed that he felt great. It had not been certain that he could be at the festival, so we were all thrilled to see him.
Not only did Morgan attend, he played, including joining Art Peterson and other friends onstage in the afternoon for a lively set that kicked off with “Ain’t Misbehavin’.”
Morgan also introduced the Saw-Off – while wearing a saw-through-the-head gag under his hat.
A new champion was crowned this year. Ms. Liu Ya from Wuhan, China, took first place in the Saw-Off, playing a piece that roughly translates from the Chinese as “Birds Singing in the Morning.” Mr. En-Wu Du from Beijing took second place playing the same piece. Both musicians had recorded accompaniment that featured a lavish combination of orchestra, rushing water and singing birds. Third place went to Ms. Yoshiko Saito from Osaka, Japan, playing a medley from West Side Story.
There were seven contestants in the Saw-Off this year: In addition to Ms. Ya, Mr. Du and Ms. Saito, the audience enjoyed performances by Mr. Shinsaku Murakawa from Tokyo, as well as four California saw players: Ms. Cindy Weyuker from Alameda; Mr. Jeff Goldsmith from Oakland and Mr. Donald Hodges from Aptos.
Special awards were presented to Ms. Weyuker for Best Novelty Performance; to Ms. Saito for Most Unique Performance and to Ms. Ya for Traveled the Farthest. Her hometown of Wuhan is the economic, transportation, political and cultural center of central China. Last year’s Saw-Off winner, Mr. Peter Hong, of Ventura, Calif., acted as translator for Mr. Du and Ms. Ya, who speak only Mandarin.
As always, the Festival began on Saturday with a musical gathering at the bronze statue of legendary saw player and labor leader Tom Scribner in downtown Santa Cruz – drawing the usual delighted double-takes from passersby. More jamming followed before participants retired to their campsites for the night.

Bright and early (well, early) Sunday morning, volunteers began setting up the stage under the stately oaks at the picnic grounds, not far from the Chuck Wagon BBQ. Two tents provided additional shade for the audience and recording crew. It was the first time in a number of years that the stage was so centrally located, making it easy for non-saw-playing folks to listen while exploring the grounds, ordering lunch at the Chuck Wagon or waiting to ride the Roaring Camp steam train.

On Sunday, the saw players shared the picnic grounds with a rendezvous of Mountain Men. This explained the presence of one visitor in moccasins, flannel trousers and calico shirt, looking as if he had dropped in from the distant past.
Keeping things totally current was the Saw Festival emcee, Mr. “See” Cristian Ellauri, there for the second year. See kept the energy high with his hip, off-the-cuff commentary, groan-worthy puns involving saws – and his uncanny impersonation of a beatbox whenever there was a lull in the proceedings.
Notable visitors to the Festival this year included Brownie, the brilliant green Eclectus parrot, who was accompanied by saw player Mr. Don Hodges and local radio news reporter Ms. Susan Simon. Brownie even appeared in the Saw-Off, perched on Mr. Hodges’ shoulder while he played.

Then there was the arrival of eight Red Hat Ladies, their toppers set off by vibrant purple ensembles. More color was provided by the fanciful face-paintings by Ms. Ariel Eisen.

Another treat was the attendance of Mr. Robert Armstrong, famous in the saw-playing world for his performances that can be heard in the opening scenes of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” as well as in the Oscar-winning short, “The Accountant.” He’s pretty well-known outside the musical-saw world, too, singing and playing saw and guitar in the Cheap Suit Serenaders jazz band, and being a widely published artist, whose work has been seen in magazines and comics, and on Collings and Martin guitars. It’s his art work that makes various IMSA materials, including the banner for the Saw Festival, so lively.
His schedule doesn’t allow Mr. Armstrong to attend the Saw Festival regularly, but this year the planets aligned, he didn’t have a prior engagement, and here he was. I had to ask him: What is the appeal of the musical saw?
“I always say it has a built-in ‘wow’ factor,” he said. “People all the time tell me, ‘I’ve never seen someone play a saw. I can’t believe you can do that.”
And the saw is a serious instrument, he said. Its distinctive sound, somewhere between that of a musical instrument and the human voice, is compelling. “The adjectives I hear are ‘ethereal,’ ‘haunting,’ ‘mystical tone,’ or ‘like a woman singing.’ People who’ve heard it from a distance sometimes say, ‘I couldn’t tell what it was.’”

Not only do a few more people in the world become familiar with that sound every year when they come to the Saw Festival – some even try playing the saw for the first time in the afternoon workshop that’s a festival tradition. This year, nearly a dozen adults and children picked up saws and tried their hands at coaxing music from the toothed blades, often with with remarkable success. Who knows -- maybe a future Saw-Off winner was among them!

....at least, he sez it is. And I'm willing to believe him.
Born Standing Up is Steve Martin's autobiography (but only) of his career in standup comedy.
Martin, that self-proclaimed (and rightly so) 'wild and crazy guy,' changed the face of standup comedy,let's face it. And this book chronicles the development of his style, as it evolved. While weighing in at only four CDs (which makes this a fairly quick 'read') a lot of interesting and surprisingly familiar * information is shoehorned in there.
Some surprising revelations, and a good pile of insight on the career development of a fine actor, comedian and author / playwright.

...between full-scale hot shop glass blowing and blowing my scaled-down vessels on a torch!
While I have, for decades now, been a keen observer in various glassblowing studios (and the one that usually had to be dragged away from the whole crazy scene just so I could be reminded to eat, etc.) I had never actually done it myself!
Well, it was about time, and The Crucible just started its Glassblowing program (and had room in the class! Miracles!)
Kier and Arlo,the two instructors, have been most understanding in my maladroit methods, and have seen me through to create a couple of vessels* that could charitably described as a bud vase (or small drinking vessel, if you're not very thirsty) and an altogether impractical table vase (or drinking glass, if you're really, really thirsty.....)
I had also been unaware of just how athletic an endeavor such art could be. Whole different muscle groups, most of which have remained dormant for years, are mercilessly called into play, and remind one for days thereafter about how much fun the class is. Friday nights, when one might otherwise be engaged in howling at the moon, are when this class happens (except for the 19th, which will find the class preempted by another Fireside Lounge event themed "Playa Bound," as a nod to those hardy souls about to embark for Burning Man. The Fireside Lounge event series offers some interesting diversions, demonstrations and some hearty discounts for anyone willing to "throw their heart over the fence" and finally sign up for that class they've been pining for. The event also doubles as an Open House, with tours of the "Largest Non-Profit Industrial Arts Teaching Center in the U.S."

Check It Out!

one use coarse salt? Chef Alex explains: the big crystals flavor the steak, but without being totally absorbed. Fine grained salt - table salt, kosher salt - would be absorbed too quickly and would toughen and dehydrate the meat.
You can use any coarse sea salt, but you can also buy Chef Alex’s Sal Grosso, which comes in three flavors: Caipirinha (Brazilian rum, fresh lime juice and lime zest); Tropical (Brazilian rum, passion fruit and mango juices); and Petit Sirah (infused with one of her favorite red wines) -- of course, when in Napa, you must use the wine.

Her other food products include gluten-free pizza dough (in a variety of flavors) and pao de queijo (cheese bread; addictive), chocolate caramel candy and coconut condensed milk candy. That’s not all, however: Find out more on the Sampas Food website.
When I talk to a chef, I always want to know about their essential tools. A good knife? Sturdy bowls? Tongs?
Chef Alexandra’s answer surprised me -- then the more I thought about it, the more

right and logical it seemed: “My favorite tool? This may sound funny, but a teacher taught me that here’s nothing that shreds, mixes, folds or combines as well as your hands will.”
She gave some examples: Hands are great for folding egg whites into batter (wear gloves, she advises, to keep the oil in your hands from deflating the whites); touching a piece of meat to see if it’s done - experience will soon tell you what to feel for. And hands are also good for testing the water when dissolving yeast for baking - read the package directions and you’ll see that the required heat is just a little warmer than body temperature.
Sampas products can be found at the Napa and St. Helena farmers markets. Chef Alexandra also teaches cooking and caters very, very occasionally.
She also generously shared with us these recipes for roll-up sandwiches using lavash bread:

Recipes:

ROAST BEEF AND ARUGULA SANDWICH
Makes 1 sandwich
(Other filling ideas: Honey mustard, turkey and cranberry sauce - keep that in mind for Thanksgiving!)

1 sheet lavash bread
4 ounces thinly sliced roast beef
2 tablespoons Horseradish Cream Sauce (see recipe)
1 to 2 ounces baby arugula

Horseradish Cream Sauce:

1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
2 tbsp of grated horseradish, fresh or prepared
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Make Horseradish Cream Sauce; Combine all ingredients for the
horseradish sauce in a bowl and let it rest in the refrigerator at least one hour. The recipe is very flexible: use more or less lemon juice and horseradish to taste.
2. Lay one sheet of lavash on a cutting board, landscape orientation (long side towards you). Spread the bread evenly with Horseradish Cream Sauce.
3. Arrange the roast beef slices across only the bottom half of the bread (the half closest to you). Distributed the baby arugula evenly on top of the beef.
4. Roll the bread onto itself tightly, as if you were making a sushi roll. Once it’s rolled, squeeze it gently with your hands to help it holds its shape.
5. To serve, slice in half and serve with chips, soup or a salad.

SMOKED SALMON WITH DILL CREAM CHEESE HORS D’OEUVRES
Makes 20 canapes
(Other filling ideas: Fig jam, prosciutto di Parma and sliced Brie.)

2 sheets lavash bread
8 ounces smoked salmon, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed in cold water
4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix the cream cheese, chopped dill and lemon juice in a bowl, until
combined.
2. Lay one sheet of lavash on a cutting board, in a landscape orientation (long side towards you). Spread evenly with the dill-cream cheese mixture.
3. Arrange the Smoked Salmon slices across only the bottom half of the
bread (the half closest to you). Spread the capers evenly on top.
4. Roll the bread onto itself tightly, as if you were making a sushi roll. Once it’s rolled, squeeze it gently with your hands to help it holds its shape.
5. Wrap the roll tightly in plastic and let rest in the refrigerator overnight.
fridge overnight.
9. Repeat the with second sheet of lavash.
10. Just before serving, unwrap the roll from the plastic and cut it into slices 1-1/2 inch thick, on the bias. It will look like a sushi roll. Arrange on a large platter, topping with chopped parsley.

.Just got this dandy photo of....

...our "Flammarble" game, featured at the recent Crucible fund raiser show "Inferno: Fire Circus". (Thank you , Lee!)

Pictured left to right: Glass Flameworking Studio Head Tara Murray, Kinetics Dept. Whiz Lee Sonko and The Ralph, replete with his straw boater, vest and cane.

The game features many pitfalls and rewards, but practically no rules.* One thing is certain, however: everybody that played it had fun!
Simply described, the game is a modern version of the ancient 'Bagatelle" games of yore, the precursor to pinball.
Each hole in the game board triggered some sort of effect, which could be anything from flashing lights, and blinking LEDs to blasts from a semi truck air horn and eerie vibrations under their feet.
The marbles themselves were hand crafted from borosilicate glass, and players were reminded that, as flameworking students, they would learn how to make marbles like these within the first 3 hours of lessons.
We'll be doing more with it in upcoming events. I can't wait to see what we wind up doing with version 2.0 of the game. Better wear your helmet!

Another day, another Bill Bryson tale....

Did you ever....

... try something that you just knew would be trouble? It might have been a class that you really should've taken the pre-reqs for, a girlfriend, or some last-call double-dog dare involving intoxicating beverages, unlikely ingredients and gelatine. But you did it anyway,right?
I think that I have found mine......
Those wonderful folks at the Torani syrup works - makers of such fine flavors as huckleberry, pumpkin pie and shortbread - have outdone themselves this time.
Evidently responding to the national mantra of "y'know, the only thing that could make this better would be..,"those clever lads have driven the last nail of addiction into my gustatory coffin and developed a - wait for it - Bacon Syrup!
No, not Kevin Bacon; you'll have to go to the movies (or those ads on PBS) to find him.
An informal survey (conducted entirely within our grotteaux) revealed that most people tended to wrinkle their noses in dubious thought at the mere mention. This attitude universally shifted 180 degrees at their first whiff of the stuff. The first taste clinched the deal.
It's sweet, a little. It's salty, a bit. It's smoky, in just the right amount. And, yes, just like the breakfast meat, it's just a wee bit porky. It's also quite a bit stronger that I would've expected. This stuff should be carefully administered, much like Tabasco, to avoid completely overpowering the taste buds and allowing the subtleties (yes, they're there!) to evidence themselves.
I have not yet had the guts to try a Bacon Italian Soda (just add sparkling water), but I'll bet it would save all that annoying chewing that pork rinds require (and likely the only exercise a confirmed pork rind addict might get, eh?)
But, I did try a few drops (yes, drops. A half teaspoon per application is plenty for most things - see Tabasco reference above; - we're not kidding!) on a fruit-compote-with-a-streusel-topping dessert and found that it really enhanced it! (I did also leave some of the dish intact as both a control group and a palate cleanser.)
I somehow doubt that it will ever replace hazelnut as a coffee additive.(Would it change Mocha into Bocha, or what.....? Porka....?)

Sometimes great new food trends come from necessity......

....Buffalo Wings *, f'rinstance, or my grandfather's omelette with dill pickle slices **, but sometimes they come out of the dark corners of one's imagination, or desperation or some mix of the above.
My latest likely comes from convenience and happenstance, tho. Early early one morning, when faced with the dwindling pantry contents that result from not going shopping until the next day, I concocted something that I may try again deliberately.

Here's what I found:

half-full jar of almond butter
half-full box of Rye Krisp
leftover slices of sweet potato that had been roasted in olive oil

Hmmmmm, let's see: spread the almond butter on the Rye Krisp and top with the slice of roasted sweet potato. Nah, too simple.
But I wonder what that would taste like? A quick qrrrrunchmunchmunch answered that one right away.The palate is immediately treated to the sweet, but somewhat roasty flavor of the sweet potato, which promptly transforms into the sweet and nuttiness of the almond butter, finished nicely by the slightly bitter and roasty cracker.
An amazing cycle of roasty to sweet to deeper roasty and back to sweet again.
Not half bad! Altho, there's only one thing that could make this better.......

....but I'm not completely convinced of that, having known some good folks, well into their later years that are still kicking.
(Full disclosure Dept.: I've known a few blackguards that just couldn't go soon enough, too.....)

Sherwood Schwartz lasted until his 94th year. You'll have to decide for yourself which category he fit into.
"Who the heck was Sherwood Schwartz?" you are probably asking yourself along about now. Odds are you've either seen or heard some of his handiwork at some point in you life.
Does the phrase "A Three Hour Tour" strike a familiar chord? (Or, speaking of families, can you name a family that contained characters named Carol,Jan,Greg, Mike, Marcia,Cindy,Peter and Bobby?)

Yup, he created Gilligan's Island and The Brady Bunch,and also wrote the ear-worm-ish theme songs for both. It's worth noting that he also was responsible for some other additions to our nations' great culture, among them "It's About Time" (about two time-traveling astronauts and cavemen - the latter brilliantly cast with Joe E. Ross and Imogene Coca as Gronk and Shad, respectively) and a lot of work with the legendary Red Skelton.

And he got a star on the Hollywood "Walk of Fame" for his creations, too.

Yeah, we'll miss him, if grudgingly.