what about the plastic animals?

World's Largest Big Mac Replica

The World's Largest Big Mac replica and the Big Mac Museum are both in the McDonald's on Rt 30 southeast of Pittsburgh (just off exit 67 of the Pennsylvania Turnpike).  The Big Mac wasn't invented at this McDonald's, which was a little confusing, but the owner of this franchise gathered a whole lot of Big Mac memorabilia and has it on display.  I skipped the two all beef patties and special sauce and went with small fries and a coke.

Beer and a Burger

I was a Rheingold man in my youth.

My Sister, Me, and My Monkey

From left to right:  Judy, Joe, furry red monkey.  I can remember almost every detail in this photo but the monkey.  The sled, the paper chain I made, the train set, the balls on the tree, the braided rug, and my sister are all familiar to me but I have no recollection of the monkey.  You'd think I'd remember a creature that looked like that.

I scanned a bunch of old family photos over the last couple of days.  Way too many of them, especially the color photos from the mid-1960s through the 1970s, have become faded or have lost all sharpness.  A few of them will appear here in the near future.

Merry Christmas!

This is about the only holiday photo I've taken this year.  Having several hours to spare before flying home, but not having much energy to do anything, I really enjoyed sitting in Union Square on Friday evening.  It was a little disconcerting that I was surrounded by New York icons - Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Tiffany's- in the heart of San Francisco but I got over it.

I wish everyone a very happy holiday, whatever holiday you choose to observe!

At the Hotel Frank

The less said about this trip the better.  On my second day in San Francisco I came down with food poisoning or a stomach bug.  I spend a lot of time in the Hotel Frank running between the bed and bathroom.  By Tuesday afternoon I had gone to the doctor's and gotten medication.  I actually worked all day Thursday and on Friday evening it was time to fly home.  The worst part of the trip was not being able to drink beer.

Plastic Animals and Candy

This year's display of plastic animals went up on Thursday night.  No theme this time, just little critters scattered about.  The hu-man in the first photo is not part of the display.  Here's what he was looking at.

I usually go to Chinatown and buy a mix of candies to put out with the animals.  Perennial favorites are the preserved salted plum, ginger chews and White Rabbit milk candy.  I didn't find the White Rabbit milk candy this year so the Smith Nougat's, from Hong Kong, will substitute.  The Beijing Haw Thorn Hamburger was purchased solely for its name.  I really can't describe the flavor other than tart and unpleasant.  Greg reports that the pizza candy was sweet and fruity and not at all like pizza.  I haven't worked up the courage to try.

More and better pictures later.  For now though I'm off to San Francisco to spend a week in a giant windowless room with 15,000 of my closest friends.

Pa Bell

Still crazy busy here.  Check out this great display at the Verizon, formerly Pa Bell, building in Pittsburgh.  The clock still works!  Anywhere any time by telephone.

Snoopy in Pittsburgh

Busy as a bee today so let me just ask a question or two.  Why is Snoopy resting on his dog house in downtown Pittsburgh?  Furthermore, and rhetorically so you don't need to answer, why did I focus on the building with the many plate glass windows in the background rather than the subject of the photos?

Dippin Donuts

Not to be confused with that other donut place.  This Dippin Donut is in Rome, New York and they don't use an apostrophe.  I stopped in and asked for a powdered sugar donut.  They didn't have any fresh so the guy behind the counter said "I'll go in back and make you one."  Definitely not the apostrophe-usin' donut place.

Mail Pouch Factory

Even though they are merchants of death, no trip to Wheeling would be complete without a quick look at the Mail Pouch Tobacco headquarters and factory.

Finding the place involved an excellent photo not taken and one of the stranger moments on the trip.  I only knew that the factory was on the south side of town.  Driving southward from downtown I saw a building that looked like an old factory.  It was but it was the nail plant (Wheeling once was, and still may be for all I know, the country's leading nail manufacturer).  It was noon and sitting outside on a bench were five guys wearing blue work shirts talking and eating their lunch.  They would have made a great picture had they not noticed me driving slowly by.  Oh well.

A few minutes later I came upon the main post office.  I stopped for postcard stamps and asked the woman behind the counter if she knew where the Mail Pouch factory was.  She didn't know what it was or where it was located, but she would check with someone in back.  She went into the back and I stood there waiting, and waiting, and waiting.  After about five minutes I decided she wasn't coming back so I left.  Mail Pouch is about a mile south of the Post Office on the same street.