Meat and Greet

Every good grocery store has a meat department, unless it's a vegetarian grocery store. Yeah, give me a few vegetarian steaks, please. Fran Lebowitz once said vegetables are interesting but lack a sense of purpose when unaccompanied by a good cut of meat. Our family has a rule that if you get lost in the grocery store, let's always meet in the meat section. If you need something to hum while waiting to be found, the movie The Sound Of Music has a nice little tune called Doh-Ray-Meat.

Sponge Pudding

If you're craving some good sponge pudding, you could either:

1. Make some yourself.

Preparation: In small bowl mix 4 oz raisins, 2 oz currants, 3 oz dark brown sugar, and grated lemon zest for the filling. Sift 8 oz self-raising flour into large mixing bowl. Add 4 oz shredded suet* and a pinch of salt. Rub together to combine. Add a little milk. Cut through mixture with knife. Gradually add more milk until it comes together. Use your hands to combine into soft elastic dough. Add more milk if needed. Total amount of milk used should about 2 fl oz. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Roll into 8 x 12 rectangle. Evenly spread filling mixture over dough leaving 1/2 inch border. Brush border with a little cold water. Carefully roll up from narrow end. Soak clean cloth napkin in boiling water for a few minutes. Squeeze to remove excess water. Wrap roll in napkin twisting at each end and secure with string. Steam the pudding roll for 2 hours in a steamer. Wrap pudding suet roll in foil. Bake 400ºF for 1.5 hours. Unwrap. Cut into thick slices. Serve in warmed bowls with custard. Enjoy.

*Suet is a rich form of solid white beef fat that is usually derived from the fat surrounding beef kidneys. It's sold ready-grated and dusted with flour. Vegetarian alternatives are readily available, altho people who wish to avoid the hydrogenated vegetable oils from which they are made may like to try finely ground brazil nuts as a substitute.

Or you could:

2. Purchase a can of Heinz spotted dick sponge pudding.

Glowing Globes

This downtown Fargo store window gets a Glowing Globe Award. This is fitting since it is directly across from the famous downtown Fargo Theatre. Downtown Fargo continues its revival but also continues to have a parking problem. They started a program called POP (plenty of parking) but just because we have a POP program doesn't change the fact that there isn't enough parking. Fargo Theatre

Yellow Brick House

After following the yellow brick road, you may very well end up at this yellow brick house. What would normally just be two more windows on the East side of a building have cleverly been transformed into something out of a fairy tale. What a clever idea. It's surprising we don't see more of this type of creativity. One way to promote creativity like this would be an annual contest with prize money. Our government would probably decide to tax it to promote bigger government.

Funny Friends

I met some funny friends while strolling through the Mall O'America. These guys were obviously enjoying themselves. Mr. Bird on the left was sipping his morning coffee just like me. His buddy on the right was taking a picture of me while I snapped this one of them. We had a great time. I'm glad I got to meet them before they got on their bus back to the funny farm.

Horsing Around

Camp Snoopy at the Mall of America has now been taken over by Dora & Friends. Last Saturday morning, I was the first person to enter Camp Dora. During a very quiet solo walkabout without anyone else present (except for Dora), I snapped this picture of the Merry-Go-Round. This horse probably got mucho circular action during the rest of the day. I was delighted to capture him reflecting during his rest in the morning.

Burrito For Eato

This picture documents the fact that: 1. You can now purchase everything in frozen meals from burritos to omelettes, and 2. I actually thought to stop and take a picture of some frozen burritos. Regarding #1: We've come a long way from fish sticks and TV dinners. Regarding #2: I must either have way too much time on my hands, or I have a window shopping blog that is waiting to be fed its next post.

Innocent Until Proven Kilty

This is my offering for St. Patrick's Day. It's also a reminder to myself to wear something green today. I probably won't be wearing a green kilt, but as you can see, it was a possibility. Have a nice St. Patrick's Day. May it be lucky and green. (That was referring to your beer.)

Peabody House

This is the south side of the Peabody House in North Fargo. The cute little dollops of snow on the window awning and above the door are what caught my eye. They just looked so perfect. Most of the snow in Fargo has now been beaten down by a week of rain. The Red River is on the rise, along with the threat of major flooding. Our little dollops of snow are now history, but they certainly made for a nice picture on this day before Saint Patrick's Day.

Fresh Mex

These windows live near the Mall of America in a restaurant called Chevys Fresh Mex. If you're looking for some very most excellent food at quite reasonable prices: Fresh Mex! (No, I am not paid to say this, but we would go back and eat there again.) Everything is unusually good. All ingredients are fresh and homemade from scratch. If you're lucky, you might even get a window seat.

Pink Maam Group

The Mall Of America provided some fun for our Window Shop Cam. This group of pink model citizens is a perfect pairing for the famous Blue Man Group. The next time those boys are in the Minneapple, Blue Man Group should definitely swing by Level 1 of America's Mall.

Unlimited Tanning

It's easy to see this window signage from the streetage. Big, bright lettering definitely goes a long way. The question arises whether or not unlimited tanning in a tanning bed is good for one's skin. I think most people would agree that it's not. Another way to get unlimited tanning is to decide to make a garden in your backyard. In the above photo, you can see the drive-by photographer's vehicle in the reflectionage.

Target Market

It's not difficult to figure out the target market for this product. If you're a man, and you're really, really hungry, then you do qualify for this full meal deal. Of course, the pictures of these meals are shown to be quite large and colorful to enhance your appetite even more. Your hunger will have to wait a bit longer once you get them home, since these boxed meals are frozen, and taste better when heated up.

Bright Students

Apparently lots of colors are IN this year. These youthful models are showing off multiple bright colors all worn together. We wouldn't want this colorfest to be distracting when it comes to the business of school. Hopefully these bright outfits are indicative of bright students focusing on their studies. Getting good grades should be what's IN this year.

Pop Quiz

These soda pop bottles almost sell themselves. Their colors are so attractive, and hopefully also their flavors. On a hot and thirsty day, it would be difficult to pass them by. This picture reminds me to thank everyone that already recycles everything possible. For anyone that is not yet on the recycle boat, thank you for starting to recycle.

String Section

This is the view on main avenue in downtown Fargo.

These members of the string family were music to my eyes. As you stand at the front door, you can look off to the right and see the aboves, or look off to the left and see the belows. They're all just floating in air, suspended in the window, waiting to be adopted by their next virtuoso.

The sight of these guys is enough to make me want to go listen to Mozart's Symphony No. 40 in G minor.

Happy Plane

Yesterday out by the Fargo airport, I saw something one does not see every day. It was a smile face airplane. Its front windows looked like friendly eyes of the yellow happy face. Maybe this is the airplane version of a yellow submarine. duggy.com

Extra Corona

Corona is usually on sale at our local Happy Harry for just over a dollar a beer. Considering it's coming all the way from Mexico, that's a good deal. At the last minute, throw in a slice of lime to prevent scurvy, and you've got yourself a healthy winner. Happy Friday, everyone!

Shadow Branch

These two little minimally-decorated windows caught my two eyes. It's nice when things come in twins, especially when you're a Gemini. I love the bonus branch that decided to join the picture with its shadow. Speaking of seeing its shadow, there are officially only 16 days left until Spring!

Avatar Office

If you have ever wondered what the Post Office looks like for those blue Avatar characters, this might be exactly what it looks like. Avatars have to send and receive mail too. Unfortunately, Saturday service might be coming to an end due to lack of revenue caused by emailing.

See Food Diet

You can give someone a fish, or teach them to fish, or just swing by the local grocery store and see what's on special. It's amazing how convenient they make it to procure fish. No icehouse or bait needed. As a matter of survival, it would still be good to know how to catch them the old-fashioned way.

Convenient Lookout

This is the cupola at our local convenience store.

Below is the view of the cupola from the inside of the store.

It's too bad there aren't any stairs to go up and check out the view.

Glass Block Foyer

We call our entry way The Foyerplace. We originally had our foyer window made out of glass blocks. Six 12 inchers in the middle with 24 six inchers around the outside. We have subsequently replaced this with a new window better suited to handle the winter condensation issues. I'm glad we snapped a few photos of the glass blocks before replacement day. Today is Dad's birthday, even tho he's moved on. Dr. Miles used to use glass blocks for full-wall shelving systems. At our home, that tradition continues.

Elvis Sighting

For fans of Elvis the Pelvis, let it be known there was an Elvis sighting in downtown Fargo on February 27, or as they call it on Maui...Tsunami Tsaturday! Elvis looked to be in good form but was not available for any questions or autographs.

Bra Dog

This little guy caught my attention as I strolled through the mall. What might the connection be between pink dogs and lace bras? I'm not saying it's a weird combination, but rather the connection is perhaps not overtly obvious to innocent mall walkers.

Sun Fun

What great use of sun light coming through a window. This is the southernly view out of a downtown Fargo health food store. It is always a delight to see nice stained glass aglow. There can never be too many stained glass windows in this world. Is southernly even a word? What about aglow?

Diamond Grande

In the window of a jewelry store in the mall was the largest diamond in the world. It was literally the size of a football. This diamond is going to make someone very happy. If they find out it is not a real diamond, then it will make that same someone very upset.

Headlines

Since when did we decide that this is an attractive look? Are these grandchildren of the Headless Horseman? During these tough times of international difficulties, it seems this look should not be politically correct. Or is it just me? I like the clothes. Don't get me wrong. Let's sing a song.

Say Cheese

Deli is short for Delicatessen
but I think it should be short for Delicious.
My wife and I both agree
that we like cheese better than candy.

I don't mind the rat race
but I could do with a little more cheese.

First Temptations

It is no accident that the bakery is one of the first things you see upon entering the grocery store. I always like to swing by for the free coffee and doughnut hole(s). Zen Joke: What do they do with all the extra holes that they cut out of doughnuts? Answer: They tie them together to make fishnets.

Elf Shopping

My first post on this new blog will apparently be about window shopping...for an elf? It is expecially (extra especially) nice when it's a father shopping for his own son. If you have too many elves, couldn't you put some on the shelves?