love on [shock]

last saturday was an amazing day for wichita.  our local college played in the ncaa final four game, something the city hasn't seen since 1965.  walking around town this weekend was almost unreal.  everyone was in such a great mood.  i've never seen our city so positive and full of pride.  nearly every single person could be found wearing black and yellow in support of wsu.  for the first time, at least in my opinion, the city was unified, in the same way college towns are, and it was a great feeling.

following the tournament,i absolutely loved how the team was described.  they were the underdogs, the cinderella's.  the team defying the odds and busting the brackets.  the team that came out of nowhere to surprise everyone.  even though they lost the game, i hope the team realizes what they did for the city. they gave us some much needed civic pride, and helped shed a wonderful and positive light on our town for the few days we were in the national spotlight.  for a brief moment, we had what all cities crave, uniqueness.

as a fan of this town, i'd like to think the attributes used to describe wsu's basketball team also define our city. we can defy the odds, we can do anything.  we have the ability to shock and surprise people. we do in fact have a wonderful community filled with talent. we have a lot to offer and can compete with larger cities. the pride gained these past few weeks gave our city all the wonderful side effects that happen when people love the community they're living in.

i hope that feeling sticks around for a bit because it looks really good on wichita.

i would do anything for [loaf]

 

if you've followed this blog for a a while, you are well aware i participate in the dark, underground, and highly elusive sport known as competitive meatloaf-ing...meatloaf club if you will.  the first rule of meatloaf club is you do not talk about meatloaf club, the second rule; you do not talk about meatloaf club!

that being said, i really have to tell you about this year!

over the past four years i've become somewhat of a grizzled veteran in the whole wichita underground meatloaf scene.  i laugh when i look back at how young and naive i was in 2010, a fresh loaf fighter right of of the kitchen with a traditional style loaf, never having tasted the oven baked goodness of a victory.  then came 2011, i was older, wiser...hungrier for a win, and i found myself starting to experiment with performance enhancing spices and ingredients.  it's still under investigation how much the "dill" had to do with it, but that "experimental" year found me taking home my first win, "peoples choice."  however the "top loaf" prize still escaped me.  i don't want to talk about 2012.  i had a big ego, i thought i was too good, i thought i no longer needed to train or prepare, i thought i could waltz in and win the hearts of the judges with the same loaf as 2011.  i was sorely mistaken, not only did i not win any prize, i had serious thoughts of throwing in the dish towel.

after a few months away from the game, my head cleared.  i had learned my lesson, and the utter defeat i had felt last year now only fueled my oven fires hotter.  the last 12 months were spent thinking, tasting, suggesting, reading, learning, training, and google-ing trying to find the perfect combination of flavors that would melt the hearts of the judges and public alike.  after a few recipes and one very excellent trial run, i had it, a brand new meatloaf never before seen at this competition...maybe even america. i, along with my trusty companion, my mom, had something new, something different, something america never new it always wanted; a blue cheese and peppercorn meatloaf.

the competition was grueling, forks flung, spatulas sparred and tongs tussled but i knew i had a chance.  why you ask, because i saw the look on the peoples face when i told them the sample i had just dished them was a blue cheese and peppercorn meatloaf.  their eyes sparkled and their mouths watered. one old man starting crying.  granted, i'm not sure if it was from my description or if he had his own things going on, but there was crying.  none the less it proved my theory had been correct.  over the course of the year, i  had noticed millions upon millions of menus across this country featured dishes covered with blue cheese. why? because people love it, they crave it. they want it on everything, but until today there had been one thing they had never had it on, meatloaf.  as i handed them the sample, it was easy to see, they realized their blue cheese ship had finally come in to meatloaf harbor.

the hours passed by and the plates slowly emptied and before i knew it the judges were ready to announce their decision.  the reading of the results were a bit of a blur, but in the end, out of 12 teams, mostly consisting of local restaurants, i came in third.  although it wasn't first place, i was very honored.  if that wasn't enough, when the people's votes were tallied, 2013 would also find me me reclaiming my title as "people's choice" which i was very thankful for as well.  as always, i couldn't have accomplished this without the support and help of my family and friends.  thank you all.

now, with the coveted "top loaf" prize well within striking distance, i want it even more.  i don't know exactly what it'll be but expect something new and exciting for 2014.

[cue rocky theme]

what is [architecture]?

last week i had the opportunity to do something i’ve wanted to do for a while, host a trivia night.

now this wasn’t your normal trivia night, one of my friends who is in charge of the aia emerging professionals, wanted to put together a trivia night for all the young architects in town.  as an added bonus we invited the local graphic designers to participate as well.  not only did this keep our group from “geeking” out the entire night over architecture, but it mixed in some new and interesting facts.

talking with everyone who attend, the night was a huge success.  a good time was had by all and several new friendships were made.  thinking most people who follow this blog are into architecture or design, i thought i’d share a few of the questions, and see if anyone new the answers.

- who said, "less is more"

-what famous los angeles building is featured in the last scene of "500 days of summer."

-how many pica in 1 inch

-what is the name given to carved, full length female figures used like columns in classical architecture.

-name the four colors in process printing.

-how many square feet are in one acre.

congratulations to the winning team picture above in the first annual archi-design-trivia night.

s[no]w bird

yesterday the wichita area received it's second largest snowfall on record, 14.2 inches.  although i was able to make it out of my apartment and slowly trudge to the office, most of the city felt the same way as this bird did and decided to stay in.  this picture taken yesterday on my way to work under the douglas street bridge, home to many fair weather pigeons.

shake and [break]

if you surround yourself with optimistic and creative people, your life will never be boring.

so far, this year has been somewhat dull. studying for architecture exams isn’t the adrenaline rush one might imagine. i have however been able to enjoy a few wonderful moments with friends and acquaintances at my newly appointed “home-away-from-home” public. enjoying dinner there last friday some very optimistic and creative people who work there asked if i would like to participate in a “harlem shake” video they were filming the next day. knowing i’d be spending most of saturday reading, i felt an hour off for a mental, social, and creative release would be fine, so i agreed. just like watching the videos, the filming was quick, easy, and provided a bit of humor.

now, i’m well aware everyone and their dog has made a “harlem shake” video. it’s a meme, and at this point maybe even a fad, and fads are supposed to be fun. they spread fast because they have the ability to spur the imagination of optimistic and creative people. fads have a quick and interesting cycle. they should be enjoyed, expanded upon, ridiculed, and eventually mocked. enjoyed and expanded upon because they’re a break from the mundane, and ridiculed and mocked because the novelty runs out and they become stale. however you can’t deny what fads do for us. they’re flashy mile markers on the monotonous highway of life giving us a sense of time and place. moments helping us recall when and where we were when something happened. bookmarks in our autobiographies allowing us to look back at our past and say, “crap, I can’t believe there’s video of me dancing around to a stupid song dressed in a teen wolf costume.”

here’s one of my bookmarks, brought to you by optimistic and creative people.

immersed in [ku]lture

i'm not a huge sports guy but several years ago i was told a sports story i absolutely love.

the story was about a group of friends who get together every year and pick a random college football game to attend.  they decide on a game, head to the town, purchase several items of the home teams apparel, eat and drink at the bars that have become institutions, follow all the tailgating traditions, then head into the stadium to watch the game.  it doesn't matter what team it is, it's all about immersing yourself into the local culture.  i love this story for a several reasons.  first of all, they're traveling, and not just to typical tourist destinations, but to college towns.  towns usually smaller but more dynamic than their larger in-state counterparts.  small communities that come alive during a home game, making it the perfect time to visit.  next, i love the fact these guys mix it up.  loyalty to a team is important, but loyalty comes at the price of experiencing the same thing year after year.  these guys, however, experience something new every single season.  these guys have decided to care more about the culture of the game than the scoreboard.  they throw themselves fulling into the experience; the traditions, the food, the drinks, the music, the feel, and the spirit. hopefully, they're lucky enough to have the home team win, and provide the perfect ending to their adventure.

the other great aspect of this story is the fact it transcends sports. this is the way everyone should travel.  whether it be portland, vegas, brooklyn, or rome, you should totally immerse yourself into the culture.  try local foods you never thought you'd eat, sip on exotic drinks, visit famous landmarks, local dives and make friends with as many people as you can.  for just a brief moment, live fully in a different world.

now, i mentioned the above story to justify my actions the other week.  i, a k-state fan, went to a ku basketball game....and actually had a good time.

i know...i know... i should be shunned.

i do feel like a bit of a trader and i know several ksu fans who probably feel i need to turn in my wildcat card immediately. however, before you ban me from ever visiting manhattan again or walking the hallowed grounds of kansas state university, please understand i did it for the experience.  kansas is a great place and we're lucky to have a great football and basketball team with our states name on the jerseys. i went as a tourist and lived briefly as a ku fan.  i supported the team in their home town and got caught up in the whole crazy experience of it all.  i may have even joined in during the "rock chalk" chant.  in the end, i really did have a good time.  i experienced the foreign land of lawrence as a local.

take that for what it is...

and if you happen to know who i need to talk to about getting my wildcat card back, please let me know.

unexpected cool[ness]

the other week, some good friends came to visit me in wichita.  as excited as i was to have them down in "ta" town, i was a bit nervous.  these friends are not only recent transplants from new york, but have also lived in a handful of other larger cities.  i love my town but was worried it might come off a bit "cowtown-ish" when compared to the lower east side of nyc.  none the less, these friends had always been wonderful hosts when i visited the big apple and i was excited to return the favor.

i should have realized i had nothing to worry about.  not only is this couple always up for anything but wichita's downtown really is starting to have something going for it.  with my apartment being centered between oldtown and downtown the weekend was spent roaming and walking a radius of five blocks.  within which we were able to enjoy some amazing meals, hit up a few local bars, have coffee, and go antique shopping.  within that territory we also ran into several local natives, a tribe of people other wise known as my friends.  a group of individuals who also love wichita, downtown and are some of the best local tour guides you could ask for.

the weekend was a blast.  my friends enjoyed themselves and i was really proud of my hometown.  even with new york city being exponentially larger, i've found what makes it great is the quality of neighborhoods and the walkability of within those areas.  a quality wichita is doing a great job developing.  at the end of the weekend, one of my friends said, "wichita is a lot cooler than i thought it would be."

i think that's a great compliment for the people working hard to develop downtown, and a wonderful observation about the people who inhabit, work, occupy and enjoy the area.

the year in pictures [2012]

year eight for the [year in pictures] post.

about six months into this year, i was already thinking of this years [year in pictures] theme.  i'm not sure if it's because i have several friends who love going to [concerts] or if there just happened to be a lot of great artists within a car rides radius of wichita, but the past twelve months found me going to several amazing shows.  attending these performances is what got me thinking about the theme...this whole year was really just one long and wonderful [concert].  during a [concert] there are songs played to jam out to, reflective songs to make you reflect and think, sad songs that bring up emotions, and even a few tunes where the only thing to do is take a break and visit the restroom.  in my opinion, a good concert should have highs and lows and evoke a wide wave of emotions, which is exactly the same thing a good year should do.

with that said, following is a collection of photos representing the ups and downs, the celebrations and the struggles; ten photos representing the year long [concert] experience known as 2012.

liberty_hall_line_1.17.12

the year started out amazing with a great show.  in january my friends and i traveled up to lawrence to see the "civil wars" perform.  it was a beautiful show and the perfect prelude to the rest of the year.  not only does this photo perfectly capture the excitement we shared as we waited in line, it also perfectly represents the entire year.  twelve months filled with good music and great friends.

a_modern_museum_2.11.12

two of my favorite buildings in america just happen to be right next to each other.  in fort worth you'll find the kimbell art museum and the modern, both wonderful examples of what architecture should be.  every time i've been in the area i've stopped by to visit these monuments.  over the years i've found they not only hold priceless works of art, but also many of my favorite memories.  the memories of a trip taken with friends in february are now housed within their walls along with others from the past.

canoe's_in_the_desert_3.26.12

this spring i took my first trip to vegas.  i had passed through the town a couple of times, but had never really stopped to take in the city.  it's a gaudy, awful, inauthentic, crazy place, built on greed and hopeless dreams...and it couldn't be more beautiful.  it's craziness is what makes it great, and this sculpture called "big edge" outside our hotel seemed to sum up the whole city.  i really didn't think i'd like vegas as much as i did, but if you take it for what it is, it really is entertaining.

bachelor_party_3.31.12

in march i went to new york city to celebrate the bachelor party of one of my best friends.  i saw very little of the city that weekend, since most of out time was spent in bars, with the exception of an afternoon in a turkish spa.  it was a great weekend and i feel we sent him off to married life the right way.  most of the pictures from that night will never find their way onto any social media, mostly because we'd like to keep our professional jobs, however i felt one picture would be fine.  this picture is blurry, smoky, and a little distorted....which is pretty much exactly how i remember the night.

hipster_poses_summer_2012

i'll admit it, i really enjoy instagram.  i feel it's today's version of the polaroid, just on social steroids. it also has a bit of a reputation to be "hipsterish", so why not exploit that.  luckily i have wonderful friends who don't mind posing.  i usually ask them to look bored or annoyed which, ironically, is the complete opposite of what's actually going on with this group.

trivia_night_9.19.12

i grew up watching and loving jeopardy, which is odd because i'm not great at it.  however the excitement of pushing your brain to quickly remember things learned ages ago is the reason i'm addicted.  every wednesday night a local bar hosts a trivia night and over the past year my friends and i have become regulars.  every member of the team has their subjects of expertise, and it's wonderful to see my friends excel at at questions about sports, science, literature, and disney movies...unfortunately my only addition to the knowledge pool is romantic comedies and pop music.  although i probably should have spent less time watching chick flicks growing up and a little more time watching sports, having a good general knowledge of meg ryan has earned us a few points.

first_aid_kit_10.9.12

this photo made the cut, not so much because of it's quality, but it's irony.  the fall of 2012 found a lot of things changing in my life, which put me in a bit of a funk for a couple months.  the concert was amazing, with wonderful friends in attendance, but this photo represents the beginning of some professional and growing pains i was about to encounter.  thankfully the music of "first aid kid" is wonderful and their music was exactly what i needed to feel better.

concert_coolness_10.12.12

it's seems every year i've made this photo list, a picture from acl finds it's way on it, and this year was no different.  with such a large collection of people, in one of the most interesting cities in the county, at a three day music festival, it really isn't hard to stumble upon great photo opportunities.  i did feel like a bit of a creeper taking this photo, but with the mist, the sunlight, her pose, and classic ray bans, i couldn't resist.  i don't know who this girl is, but i must thank her for providing one of my favorite pictures of the year, and completely capturing the feeling of the weekend.

public_space_10.26.12

in october a new bar opened up in my neighborhood, and a friend and i went to check it out.  i loved it the minute i entered, and immediately began instagramming photos of the place.  a few weeks after this photo was taken, i started a new job directly across the street.  since then it has become a hangout for my friends and i, a group which now includes the two owners of the bar.  with all the craziness this past fall held, this bar not only become a bit of a second home, but also a representation that in life, just like this space, things change, and sometimes they end up better than they were before.

unexpected_cheer_12.8.12

in december i traveled to manhattan to visit a friend.  on the way back, i took a different route home.  while driving along the highway, i was able to look down the main street of a small town, and found this christmas tree sitting alone.  i thought to myself, "that's nice", and kept driving.  however my curiosity got the best of me and a few miles down i turned around.  i love this photo.  i love how it's right in the middle of the intersection, i love how geometric the tree is, i love how the lights contrast against the muted colors of the town, i love how isolated it is, but most of all i love how unexpected it was.  of all the christmas and holidays displays i saw this year, this one was the most beautiful to me.  a reminder to always look for the beauty in any situation.  this photo is like an acoustic solo at the end of a great show.  a very simple and beautiful way to finish the year long [concert] of 2012.

it's a [lounge] life

to all my amazing friends out there, digital and irl, thank you for stopping by and reading this blog.  i hope you have a very [lounge] holiday season and a happy new year!

now dasher, now dancer, now prancer and [hipster]

the christmas spirit has been in full force the past couple of days.  i've tried to stay focused at work, but visions of sugar plums keep dancing around in my head, along with all the other seasonal treats filling up the office kitchen.

so in between writing parodies to "the night before christmas" in my head, and testing out the new flickr app, it occurred to me today santa is actually a little bit of a hipster...though he would never admit it.  however, after looking at and analyzing a few of his traits, it's surprising his workshop isn't located in williamsburg or portlandia.

that being said, i give you the top 15 reasons santa is the ultimate holiday hipster.

1. he's really into red pants, although i'm sure he opted out of the "skinny" fit.

2. vintage patent leather boots. very rock star.

3. ironic stocking cap.

4. wears the same outfit ALL the time...like he can't afford anything else.

5. runs a vertical integrated company which uses local labor. very american apparel.

6. very into d.i.y. products and making handmade goods found on mrs clause's pinterest page.

7. owns a lot of vintage toys, which he occasionally sells on his etsy page.

8. into alternative forms of transportation. it doesn't get any "greener" than reindeer.

9. lives "off the grid," commune style.

10. always seems to be dingy and covered in soot.

11. works really hard for one day, then takes an extended vacation.

12. has been to SO many cooler places than you.

13. finds cigarettes and cigars too pedestrian, so he smokes a pipe.

14. talks smack on "commercialism", yet he still works at the mall.

and the clincher!

15. a long, bushy, lumber-jack-like, 19th century styled beard.


any other traits proving jolly old st. nick is a hipster?