Legend!

Today I know how Will Smith must have felt when he was the last man in New York City in the movie "I Am Legend". Sure Fayetteville is no New York, but at 2:30 Christmas Day, a Tuesday afternoon, I was able to stand in the middle of the road on Dickson Street in Fayetteville and feel like I was the only person in town. This was not just for a few seconds but for about the 15 or 20 minutes I was there.
That's right... not another car, person, dog or bug... nothing!
Just Me, Myself and I.

Here is the view East, up Dickson St.


And West, toward the UA.


I Am Legend!

Run!

"Run! Run for your lives....AAARRGHH!"
Just kidding. I love the new Razorbacks basketball coach John Pelphrey. When the team makes a run he gets exited, when he gets exited the team gets exited, when the team gets exited the fans go crazy and a good time is had by all.
I am enjoying Arkansas basketball more now than I have since Nolan left.

Flight!

Just a photo from the inaugural flight of the Z-16 fighter/paper aircraft outside our Fayetteville office last night.

Here are some specs:
The Z-16 is a multi-role jet fighter aircraft developed by Craft & Spencer Skunkworks, Fayetteville, AR. Designed as a lightweight fighter, it has evolved into a successful multi-role aircraft. The Z-16s versatility is a paramount reason it was a success on the export market, serving 24 countries.
The Z-16 is the largest Western fighter program with over 4,000 aircraft built since production started in 2007.
The Z-16 is a dogfighter with innovations including a frame-less, bubble canopy for better visibility, side-mounted control stick to ease control while under high g-forces, and reclined seat to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot. It is also the first fighter aircraft to be deliberately built to sustain 9-g turns. It has a thrust-to-weight ratio greater than one, providing enough power to climb and accelerate vertically - if necessary.

Thanks Donna!

Pretty!

I've been meaning to post this photo for a couple of weeks now.
It is an abandoned farmhouse on the Gay Orchards property on the East side of Springdale. About five or six years ago I shot a very similar photo when the Springdale School Board wanted to have the property condemned so they could build a new high school here. The Gays fought the school board and eventually the new school was built on the West side of town instead.
I am glad to see that after all this time it is still the same scene.

P.S.
Gay is the family's name not their sexual orientation.

Che!

Apparently Che Guevara is alive and well and driving a bus for ORT. Also, judging by the logo on his hat, he moonlights as a fry cook at McDonalds.

OMG!

Guess where I ate lunch today?

ACAMBARO!

Yes, by some sort of Christmas miracle or act of God they have re-opened their doors. I don't want to get too exited just in case this is a temporary thing, but today is a good day.

Starcrossed!

For those of you who don’t already know I have been having an affair for the past three or four years.

At first it was a casual thing but the more lunches and dinners I enjoyed the more my love grew.

During the past few months our tryst had become intensified with meetings three, four and sometimes even five times a week.
All this came to an end Monday, December 10, 2007.

When I arrived at work that fateful day I was told to go to a local restaurant to cover an immigration bust. In the back of my mind I knew what was going on but refused to accept it.
Yes, on Monday the Immigration Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) agency raided my beloved Acambaro Mexican Restaurant and shut her down. It was not only a sad day in Springdale but in all of Northwest Arkansas as they shut down all the Arkansas locations.

Yes, Acambaro was my lover and I am not ashamed to admit it. Near the end of October I pledged to eat and rate every item on their lunch menu. When finished I was going to re-christen the restaurant “Zacambaro”.
Unfortunately I only managed to finish 14 or the 30 items before the raid. I recently learned of two “secret” lunch items. The #31 is “the same as a number one only with a chicken taco instead of beef” and a #32 “Huevos Rancheros”. I guess I shall never know these two.

For anyone still reading here is a copy of the lunch menu complete with my notes on the items eaten.


And here is the final ratings of the 14 items eaten:
***** = 5 Stars
**** = 4 Stars
*** = 3 Stars
** = 2 Stars
* = 1 Star

#3 ***
#5 *
#6 ****
#9 ****
#10 ***** (best meal at the restaurant)
#11 ***
#12 ****
#15 ****
#16 ****
#17 ***
#22 ***
#24 ****
#25 ****
#26 ****

As you can tell I really liked their food.

Pelph!

A homage to Neemah’s "Incredible Pelph" photo in the comments on In The Loupe. I think mine is better. BTW Arkansas beat the Missouri State Bears 70-51 last night.