We all know about Texas and Memphis. Carolina and Kansas City are staples. But, Illinois BBQ?
Sounds flippy to us too. But wouldn't you know it, Bon Appetit recently named the 17th St. Bar and Grill in Murphysboro, Ill the best ribs in the US of A. And while that's not Champaign, it's getting awfully close.
Last weekend saw the premier of what is bound to be one Urbana's best annual traditions with the first annual Blues, Brews and BBQ in the parking lot of the Lincoln Square Village. The turnout, especially given its infancy was more than affirming of the fact that we, too, have a burgeoning BBQ scene that is just about ready to bust from the belt.
So, let's have it. You know the suspects with the smoke and sauce — as well as, if not better, than we do. So, who's got it in ol' C-U in the world of BBQ?
Happy 4th to all.
Market at the Square has been shaping up nicely and every week it just gets better and better. Last week brought us fuzzy peaches, beautiful apricots and more cherries, raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries and blueberries. The folks at First Fruits had a mountainous display of sweet broccoli and cauliflower, along with a gorgeous stack of tri-colored beets that had my mouth watering. This coming Saturday market patrons can expect to find this year's first apples and plums along with more green beans, zucchini, cabbages and potatoes. There are still plenty of greens, kohlrabi, sugar snap peas, garlic scapes and radishes.
It couldn't be easier to come up with a simple pasta dish, soup or salad composed exclusively on what the market has to offer.
I have no burning interest in the upcoming Beijing summer games. While I may try to watch some fencing or swimming, winter’s luge is more to my taste. Besides, the medal contest I really follow occurred in early June in Urbana.
Over 250 wines competed for medals at the Illinois State Fair Competition held at Bevier Hall on the University of Illinois campus. The judges assessed entries using a predetermined rubric. While each of the 12 judges added their own professional wine experience and personal taste to the process, this scorecard allowed objective comparisons between wines of different styles, sweetness and ingredients.
If some people have all the luck, then somebody’s gotta get what’s left.
For over two and a half decades, Larry Jones’ horses have passed spotlessly on drug tests. The trainer says he hasn’t used steroids since 1997. After his Kentucky Derby filly, Eight Belles, broke both front ankles while galloping out after the race, the trainer was immediately put underneath the magnifying glass. To quell the radical accusations that he’d “made” the filly large by pumping her full of steroids, Jones had the veterinarian perform an unnecessary autopsy on her to prove he had nothing to hide. As expected, the tests resolved the trainer’s innocence. But that’s hardly the end of the story.
If you haven’t heard, records are making a strong comeback. Actually, vinyl never went away, but renewed interest in the LP format in recent years has breathed new life into this medium. A new generation of music fans are discovering records. More and more new releases are consistently issued on vinyl, often with a free digital download of the album included. Classic and obscure albums are being re-issued on LP. Happy days are here again for vinyl lovers, and there are plenty of local businesses that offer opportunities to seek out hidden treasures!
Late Tuesday night, local band Bellcaster reunited for one last show after falling off the radar for roughly two years. What could bring a band back from the dead? A good friend of theirs, Bobby Northcutt, was in need of some help, so they decided to host a benefit concert complete with tattoo and piercing raffles to raise money for him. How cool is that? Solo acoustic artist Jonathon Childers, one-man band Andy V, and percussionist Jane Boxall assisted in the farewell show, as well. The audience was receptive, and one man in particular was very pleased with the show — he won not only a $75 piercing, but also a $75 tattoo.
Bellcaster:
More video after the jump...
I’ve been scouring Craigslist for a place in Washington, D.C., where I’ll be moving in a couple of weeks. The nation’s capital is an expensive place to live, and apartments go quickly, so I find myself emailing hordes of strangers each day in hopes that one of them will have a roof that suits my needs, costs the right amount and becomes available within my timeframe. This process has led to countless hours online, a bout with carpal tunnel syndrome and some very suspect responses from property owners.
We've reached the midpoint of the baseball season, and it's time for mid-season awards and a State of the AL Central Report. It's also a good time to revisit my predictions from the beginning of the season. Without going into too much detail, let's just say that if I had laid down any money on my preseason prognostications, I wouldn't be shopping for ways to spend all of that extra cash. Lots to do, so let's get started with the awards:
If you’re thinking about getting a bike, absolutely do it. I can’t think of very many excuses for not owning a bike in this town. I know I waited entirely too long to finally get a bike. It was part laziness, part intimidation and part ignorance. Where do I get a bike? What kind of bike? Can I even ride one? Before I took the plunge, I hadn’t been on a bike in years. Growing up in Chicago, I took the "L" everywhere, or just walked. My bicycle knowledge was limited to the fuchsia Huffy I rode as child. My quest for a bicycle was full of anguish that I would be chastised for my complete and utter ignorance in the field of cycling.
I think it’s kind of strange that we human beings don’t really know how to be human beings. We have to be taught.
I was reminded of this when I attended a “Children First” class last Monday evening at the Family Service of Champaign County. This is a class that is now required by the State of Illinois for all parents who are going through a divorce. It teaches the parents things such as what not to say in front of your children about your spouse, how to handle visitations, communicating with your ex-spouse, etc. It is a class that teaches common decency and how to treat other people — in this case your children and ex-spouse — with dignity and respect. In other words, it is a class on how to be humane (or human).
A concept album is an ambitious venture for any band; thinking of a worthy idea is difficult enough, and then there’s the matter of producing an entire album’s worth of quality material that is thematically cohesive. It seems like there’s an endless supply of artists lined up to be the next Pink Floyd or The Who, but the albums that are produced in this arena tend to range from "bad" to "laughably bad."
Say it ain't so, Bellcaster.
After almost a full year hiatus, downtown rockers Bellcaster will hit the stage again tonight at the last indie venue standing, Mike N' Molly's. And then, they will hang it up.
For good, in fact.
The reason? Drummer Michael Allen is moving to Vermont with his wife, Jane Boxall, another local percussion hero known for lugging a full-sized marimba about town and performing the community into a trance.
It's great to see that Deron Williams was selected to Team USA this past week. Leading up to the Monday announcement of the final 12-man team, there was a nice logjam at the point guard spot, with Chauncey Billups, Jason Kidd, Chris Paul and Williams all vying for a spot on the squad. Luckily for Williams, the team includes three PGs, with Kidd and Paul in the mix as well.
Williams is coming off his best NBA season to date, averaging nearly 20 points and 10 assists per game. He was selected to the All-NBA second team, although ironically was not selected to the All-Star game. He will be the first ever ex-Illini basketball player to represent the USA in men's basketball at the Olympics.
Efrem Winters may, or may not be the all-time career leader in the often under reported Illinois Men's Basketball impressive leg muscles category. These days, it's hard to tell. You can't actually see the athletes' legs anymore.
Since the mid-90s, college basketball has endured the thrall of a restrictive, totalitarian regime which requires athletes to hide their bodies in baggy, bulky, flowing robes.
Our home phone was connected today. This is after two and a half years of being a cell-phone-only household. This in and of itself is likely unremarkable, but in conjunction with signing up for the landline phone, we canceled our cellular service.
This is a move that has been seen as radical — almost to the point of sacrilege — by many people we know. The very thought of being without a cellular phone has become a nightmare scenario for many. Why on Earth would we choose a cell-free life?
We decided that cellular phones are not necessary for our lifestyle.
I finally got to see the Redbirds in person a couple of weeks ago. It was against the Royals and I really didn’t have a good feeling coming in. It wasn’t because of the competition so much. It was mostly because I was staring right into the face of an all-you-can-drink buffet in one of those fancy schmancy club rooms. I was basically like the Cards at that point: just trying to keep my head above water.
Both of us barely did.
We ended up losing not only that game, but every damned game of that series. I wasn’t really surprised or even all that disappointed. This entire season has been like a soap opera where only bad things happen. At that point, staff ace Adam Wainwright had been on the DL for a week or so. Albert Pujols finally succumbed to a calf injury that had been ailing him and also went to the disabled list. It could have been the beginning of the end of this season, but once again, the other fellas didn’t quit.
During a trip to Colombia this spring, I heard a common theme from a number of Colombians with whom I spoke: In order to help Colombia’s drug violence problem, I should, as an American, work to reduce drug demand in the United States. It is our demand for drugs that produces their supply of drugs and the violence that comes with it.
This seemed unfair to me. Asking me to reduce drug demand in the United States is about as realistic as me asking Colombians to ignore the profit on the supply side or to share it equally with everyone. We should do our parts on both sides, of course, but we shouldn’t be under the illusion that people’s desire for drugs and money is going to go away anytime soon.
In case you hadn't realized already, the Mike N' Molly's beer garden is truly the place to be for live local music in downtown Champaign these days. It's spacious and inviting, the PA won't destroy your eardrums, and it's got a good beer selection to boot. This is all fine and dandy on most days, but when the weatherman cries "precipitation," everyone starts to get a little worried about playing outside.
This didn't stop Ryan Groff and Mike Ingram from performing their duet rendition of Radiohead's The Bends in support of Nashville's Parachute Musical and Heypenny last Tuesday, however. Amid reports of a storm, the two local rockers pushed all doubt aside and told the crowd just what they wanted to hear: "It doesn't matter if it rains — we're playing anyway!"
Once I went to a conference where I listened to a bunch of “successful” people explain what, exactly, were the secrets to their success. One of the speakers talked about finances and he said that there are only two ways to make money: 1) You work for your money (in other words you get a job); or 2) Your money works for you (in other words, you invest). Of course, he conveniently avoided the obvious question: Where do the people who invest their money get the money to invest in the first place? It seems to me that at some point or another you have to work for it (unless you’re lucky enough to inherit a fortune — or spill hot coffee on your crotch and sue McDonald’s for millions).
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