Lincolnite

Those of you who receive the Sunday paper probably saw this already, but for the rest of you there was a nice profile in Sunday's Parade Magazine of an Iraqi family that has settled in Lincoln. It's a happy story (as are almost all Parade stories), and it portrays Lincoln as a warm, welcoming place for immigrants from Iraq, Vietnam, and elsewhere. And really Lincoln has welcomed thousands of folks from around the world over the years. It's something we ought to be proud of. In fact, Lincoln has a nice reputation as a place for resettlement even among those who have never been here. A friend of mine moved here with his family about a decade ago. While choosing where to live, an advisor at the American embassy asked if they had any preferences on where they wanted to end up. They said no since they knew very little about the U.S. The woman then said, "Well, I hear Lincoln, Nebraska is a great place to raise a family". And here they are, with no plans to ever leave. It's easy for Lincoln's many immigrants to disappear into the city since they tend to largely congregate among themselves in the first generation, and since we tend to congregate among ourselves whether we're aware of it or not. But they are here, and in fairly large numbers. Don't hesitate to say hi now and then.

'Catalyst' project could move forward Could? Ugh. Also, it's hard not to predict disaster when the developer appears to be frantically searching for the cheapest possible building materials. At this point it's difficult to believe that the word "attractive" will ever come to describe this building. That's all the sadder considering how much hype went into this project's dead predecessor. Maybe next time.

I'm having a difficult time buying the idea that the gastropub concept -- as seen at new Lincoln restaurant Brix & Stone in the Haymarket -- is new. Jeff Korbelik describes the concept like so: "Popular in Europe, primarily in Great Britain, the gastropub is defined as a 'bar with good food.' Menu items often include comfort foods, burgers and a shepherd's pie. Several varieties of beers and wine also are available." Forgive me for pointing out the obvious, but that sounds like a large percentage of the restaurants in the midwest. Well, except replace the shepherd's pie with a hot beef sandwich. I'm sure there's a subtlety in the definition I'm missing out on, but right now I'm having a difficult time telling a difference between the description of a gastropub and, say, the Hi-Way Diner. Too extreme a comparison? Fine, then how about Applebee's and Granite City, or Brewsky's and 9 South Chargrill if you prefer a more local flair? Those restaurants are all about comfort food and alcohol. What's the difference? I probably sound unnecessarily alarmed, which isn't what I'm going for. I'm just clarifying that the term "gastropub" doesn't so much represent a new cuisine as it represents a not-so-subtle bit of marketingese. The phrase "homestyle cooking" has apparently fallen out of favor and gastropub is here to save the day. Whatever. No matter the name it's still the same food. I just wish Brix & Stone had opened a year ago. Today I'm in the midst of a renaissance in my diet and there's just not as much room for comfort food as there used to be. (I'm down twenty pounds on the scale as a result.) I would be more excited to hear about new vegetarian or seafood options than a chicken and waffles entree. But when I am in a comfort food mood, you bet your britches I'll give Brix & Stone a try.

I get a kick out of how much buzz the No Coast Derby Girls manage to generate around Lincoln. Most of you haven't actually seen them in action, yet I'm almost certain pretty much everybody here has at least heard of them. They are relatively visible around town, both in person and in advertising. This weekend is the Amber Waves of Pain tournament. I'm half tempted to grab a ticket just so I can see what roller derby is all about. I have to admit that I don't really "get" roller derby, but that's easy to say when I've never experienced it. The closest I've come to roller derby is trying to help three boys stay on their feet at the skating rink. That was a very physical experience, but one which mainly strained my back. Have any of you seen the No Coast Derby Girls in action? What can you tell us about them and/or roller derby in general?

I enjoy the occasional excursion through "wild" areas -- that is, relatively unmaintained spots more or less left to nature's devices. Lincoln isn't exactly overflowing with wilderness areas, but there are a few good spots to wander around. Which are your favorites? My favorite spot close to home is no secret to those of you who have been around this blog for a while. Beal Slough between 40th and 48th Streets is a pleasant place to walk my dog or go exploring with my boys. Sure trucks rumble by not far away on Highway 2, but when the season and weather is right, the cacophony from birds and bugs drowns out the traffic. More obvious spots include Wilderness Park and the Pioneers Park Nature Center. Hopefully most Lincolnites know about those areas. If you don't, for shame! Get out there and explore. What other great "wild" areas are there in town that are worth exploring?

I can only handle his humor in small doses, but I've got oodles of respect for the work done by Larry the Cable Guy (Dan Whitney) and the Git R Done Foundation. Good work, sir.