It's cheery, lots of light and it does inspire me but I need more room if I want to sew, make the tiki lamps, paint and do all the other things I want to do. In two to three weeks, I will. This morning I went out to take pictures of the current structure for a before and after comparison. Steve the contractor says the structure just needs squaring up. It leans to the right a tad. Yikes! He said he'll square it up a bit and it will be just fine. In the meantime we've been watching a ton of Kitchen Sink movies, The Young Ones on DVD, anything with Albert Finney, enjoying the hammock, brie, raspberries, spearmint tea and lemon curd.
I really miss Ted's Greek Corner. It was located at 417 Congress where the Frost Building is now in downtown Austin. Sat next to Oscar Snowdens.
Ted's was owned by Eleftherios Sofikitis who came from Greece. It opened in 1970. I started going there in 1994 then stopped then started again in 1996. I loved eating and watching the people pass by. It felt really 70's in there. Some music, some Mavrodaphne, lentil soup, you could actually imagine any decade when eating there. You ordered at the counter, nothing was ever written down, no check given and when you were done eating you just told him what you had.
I haven't tried Tino's Greek Cafe but I haven't heard anything really good about it either. We love Olympia Grill in Galveston, not easy to get to when you are craving Galactoboureko in Austin midweek. Ted's was the whole package:location, food,ambiance and Ted. As the years get on I miss the place more and more because nothing else has managed to appear in this town that can just transport the way Ted's Greek Corner did (now even the Frisco will loose that magic even though it is sticking around). Ted passed away Feb 25, 2004. It was sad hearing this and more to miss about Ted's Greek Corner.
September has not been good to the people around me. I'm up after my work-week bedtime hoping that everyone lands on their feet, get's better soon or is just able to worry a little bit less.
I mostly hit the shopping sites since I really haven't time to do that in awhile. I was surprised and delighted that Urban Outfitters had these items up for purchase:
Everything you need for a retro corner in your house. They also sell anOlivetti typewriter, for those who want more analog in their lives. Vermont Country Store also sells these. Bring back the click-click-zip, first ask your roommate...
It's time I get to bed, it's already tomorrow. I remember old fashion window shopping downtown with my mom. The stores closed at 6 or 7pm and it would be 9ish but would feel so much later than that. Maybe a couple or a family across the street peering into the appliance store... Now I just "window" shop online. I miss the cool night breeze and being ten again but otherwise...the mind wanders to nice places just the same.
This morning I got to wear a hoodie to work. It was chilly for these parts-mid 60's. Cooler weather always ushers in a bit of excitement for me. It means a change of wardrobe and soon I can wear the vintage, wool clothing I have collected over the years. Cooler weather also means Scott Walker! I just love listening to Scott Walker when it's dark, grey and cold outside. The Walker Brothers....
I met Frank on the #5 back in 2002, he would brighten up my morning rides to work. Sometimes I'd catch him en route home and we'd chat. I just about remember every conversation we ever had because of the energy he'd always bring to them. When I'd stop taking the bus I would run into Frank at the MiniMax and we'd catch up. I'd always run into Frank, he lived in the hood. He was so nice and easy to talk too, interesting, positive and just a great guy.
I ran into Frank one afternoon at the MiniMax. He had told me that he had a spell of bad luck and had fallen off the bus and as a result it had been discovered that he had kidney cancer. I was shocked because before me stood the same , enthusiastic, happy Frank I have always known. He told me of how the operation went well and he felt good and healthy and was very happy to finally fit into his clothes from twenty years ago. I gave Frank a hug and said I was glad to hear he was fine and hoped to see him on the bus again.
I did see Frank on the #5 again but the last time I rode with him was mid or late Spring. William and I stepped into the bus together with three other riders. The bus was already packed so we took the seats up front. I heard someone call out my name, turned around and it was Frank. I was happy to see him and I waved and he told me he was going to have surgery again, that it was back. I sort of half whispered and half mouthed,"I am so sorry". Frank then said,"Yeah, it's a drag" and then someone else started to speak to him. I kept turning around but he was in conversation then students started to get on board and really made it so crowded that I couldn't see him anymore. Our stop came and we got off and I waved goodbye as I stood up. I wanted to tell him I'd be thinking of him but that is hard to do in a crowded bus during early morning rush hour.
I thought of Frank frequently and near the end of July I Googled his name and found an email address. I dropped him a line letting him know I was thinking of him and wondered how he was doing. Told him I always counted on running into him and never thought to get his email addresses and I hoped my email had reached him. I never received a response which made me worry. I thought of him just last week while at HEB. I thought I saw him but realized it was someone else who looked like him from the side only. It wasn't until today that I read Frank passed away August 31st. Frank was big, a tall man, big personality, big smile, big voiced and to read that he was no longer on earth and to realize I'll never run into him again is terrible, awful,sad.
When I think back to the last time I saw him, though he said his cancer was back, the way he said it and the look on his face was in contradiction to the known severity of recurrent cancer. I really believed he would beat it again. I thought I would see Frank again, I didn't think for a moment that cancer would take him. Sitting there he looked strong,determined and healthy. I read that August 2nd was Frank Delvy Day. I wish I had known this so I could have attended. Frank "Delvechio" Delvy, I'll miss you.
I found this video when I was searching for Frank's email address months ago:
So this morning I shared Renee and Quincy's Saturday. It began at Red Bud at 9am. I can't believe I have never been to Red Bud Isle. I've lived in town for nearly 20 years and visited all the parks and swimming holes but Red Bud was just discovered,I never had a water loving dog or owned a kayak so that may have been why I never heard of it. It is absolutely ghostly and so beautiful, doesn't feel at all like Austin except it's overrun with happy, wet dogs and their tolerant owners all frolicking together. I dig that old Austin attitude. The place is sublime and you can just feel all the ghosts from summers past congregating there. However, after some Googling I came to find that Red Bud is pretty new.
We then went to the farmer's market where I sampled the best, best spiced peach preserves ever, had the best cranberry/lemonade drink and bought tamales,tomatoes, cucumbers and squash to make calebazita like my grandmother does. Going to try at least. We listened to the lounge show, saw the Amtrak passenger train(yeah this excites me cause it bring back wonderful memories riding Amtrak) and then ended in my backyard with the girls. We did all this before noon which really made me happy. I spent the rest of the day devouring all the goodies I bought at the market.
I wish we had more of these around town all the time. I miss that about Mexico, all their open air markets and fruit and vegetable stands. My Abuelita and I would walk for an hour to get to her favorite one. We'd start at 7am and the streets were empty. Coming back everything was wide awake and noisy. Once we got back to her house, I'd make the fresh orange juice and she'd start slicing up fruits and boiling water for the beans for lunch My Abuelito would be dressed and at the table ready for his breakfast. Once he'd start on his walk to work, we'd start on lunch.
