LOCAL POLL II #6a -- uh, PLACES FOR MEAN JO AND GENERAL LIKING!

as per your question, the best cup of coffee (actually cafe au lait) i ever consumed (and note, it should be difficult to make a superlative denomination of something so common) was in a bakery in centre ville, vieux montreal.  i'll try to remember the name.  but the locals will probably be able to figure out which bakery it is. 
 
flipnotics, on barton springs road in ausitn, just south of the (river) lake, is a favorite.  i like the quiet storm in pittsburgh.  kind of a sketchy neighborhood, though.

hopefully senor mccolley will expand on this lovely musing into l.a. specialities, or otha joyful things of otha places. Look for possible #6bs, cs, and maybe even ds!

LOCAL POLL II #5 i think -- SEATTLE, WASHINGTON!

sorry -- will finishing editting this when i get back after the 7th, and add the rest of the new stuff i got & get then too. happy weeks, yall! xo

What's yer name/nickname yer going with here: pants

Where do you live?: seattle

What neighborhoods or areas around where you live you do you recommend exploring? capitol hill & the waterfront

Any good parks round you for sitting in or wandering through?
the waterfall park in pioneer square, volunteer park (great view on a
clear day - and the hothouse has GORGEOUS plants & fleurs! FREE!), 40-oz
park (it's really the park that's on the north end of pike place market,
but it's the most bizarre mix of folks hugging their brown bag 40-ouncers
& tourists in their dockers), gasworks park (best view of the city and
across the street from the best bakery ever: the essential baking co.), shilshole/golden gardens & alki beach (both places allow for pit fires)

Other local features or beautiful natural spots to take in?
take the ferry - any ferry - they're marvelous and the best place to
read the sunday nytimes! the COAST: going to 2nd beach to stare at a very inhospitible sea. drive through the cascades to see the mountain pass (it's on "20") - make sure to drive in each direction. driving through deception pass (moody & spooky on a misty day). oh, oh, oh! and camano island (which is really attached to the mainland and no island at all). or pacific beach (skip ocean shores, which my friends & i refer to as "open sores" - people play "sweet home alabama" and fly union flags and fucking mean it - SCAREY), which is gorgeous, lonely and looks out onto an unfathomably huge body of water. OOO! and the ballard locks - bring a campchair or blankie, a baguette & watch the boats come & go - it doesn't sound interesting, but it's the coolest thing - take my word for it. and in june, when the salmon are running, you can visit the fish ladder and see them do their thang. oh, and then you can go to the waterfront close by magnolia park. it's a rocky beach, but it's pretty private and a gorgeous place to take in sunsets.

Any good festivals? When?
capitol hill block party! i think it's @ the end of july and fuckin' RAWKS. i mean, the MELVINS played there last year! right next to a stage with HAWT breakdancers (sigh - nubile, agile boys). it costs like $10 or $15 but is SO worth it just to sit on a curb and stare @ all the gorgeous hip chillun's. i mean, for real! where DO all these people come from? i swear, i never knew there were THAT many gorgeous folks here in my city! oh, and they sell super duper cool local crafts and have all sorts of kule local community booths.

Best on-line/print source(s) for local entertainment info:
www.thestranger.com - it's our free weekly and the "stranger suggests" column is a great bet for good goings-on. altho i'm still pissed they didn't promote the world's biggest dance off till AFTER it happened, dammit! it was like THE kewlest thing EVER, and it was girls against boys, and fuckin' RAWKED. and here's a web guide to seattle's happy hour: http://www.seattletravel.com/seattle-happyhour-ballard.htm.

Best place(s) to stop in to see inexpensive local music (particularly those that regularly book bands with females):
chop suey is a good bet. neumo's hosts a lot of good shows.

Best place(s) to stop in to dance: wherever "yo son" is hosted. it's presently @ neumo's. or, if fankick hosts a 80's themed dance party. OR if circus contraption is hosted an open casting call for their halloween production of guerrilla performance - the past two years it's been "thriller" and appears to be an annual thang. or, if you want to be surrounded by a bunch of pastey, doughey nekkid honkeys, stop by the fremont solstice parade - a veritable freak show celebrating the summer solstice. the best part are the nekkid cyclists - it smacks of burning man.

Best place(s) to stop in to get a beer without pretention or hoo-haw:
golden palace. it's where you're rubbing elbows with homeless vietnam vets and "older" sex workers on the nod. very interesting scene. where i discovered i really could enjoy beer out of a can. good juke box. if you play star-spangled banner, just be prepared. there's nothing more heart-breaking than seeing a gaggle of homeless vets, singing their hearts out for "their country." shudder, shudder. during the day, it serves AWESOME hot & sour soup for cheap and is patronized by an entirely different constituency (think septuagenarians, women, that is, with really big hair drinking whiskey sours and whose feet don't even reach the rungs of the barstools).

okay, okay. if that sounds intimidating, check out 9-lb hammer. fucking awesome place in georgetown. reminds me of chicago ("sniff") and is down the street from stellar pizza (THE best pizza (thin crust) in the city and open late and has outdoor seating). or jules maes, which is also in georgetown (although there you get to see all the guys and gals in their vintage rock-a-billy gear - there's good pinball in back, too!). twilight is a good bet on the edge of capitol hill/central district. there's a pool table in back, and, if i'm not mistaken, karaoke machine. it's where the hipsters bring their online dates so that other hipsters don't bust their chinadoll asses. and it's nextdoor to deano's, where miss helen serves up the best soul food, but there's always a mess of bullshit nastiness around the liquor store (i mean, where you want to make sure your faculties are still sharp enough to know what's what although there are always a ton of squad cars cruising that block...).

Best place(s) to stop in to get a drink (ideally also without pretention or hoo-haw):
linda's - although there's plenty of pretense there (rock-n-roll pretense), but if you appear to be over the age of 25, you're invisible anyway so you may as well stop in and just be a voyeur. the drinks are pretty cheap, too. the people-watching is marvelous. the cha-cha's another good choice. both of these joints are in capitol hill where parking is kinda tuff.

the tin hat's up in ballard, has a pinball machine, good fish sammiches, cheap, unpretentious rock-n-roll joint - parking's no issue there, tho.

OH! how could i forget: MARS BAR. it's the punk rock joint with good beer, an awesome juke box, and kinda spendy nibbles @ the adjacent cafe. that's in eastlake. in the summer, they keep the backdoor open in the back room where you get the best view of the sunset over the city. shorty's has pinball and the hangover special: a bloody mary, a hot dog & a cigarette. that's in belltown.

Best place(s) to stop in just to stop in while visiting:
pike place market, for real. the central museum (the kewl museum in downtown). the frye art museum, the henry art gallery, iwajimaya (expensive, tho, good for window shopping), i-heart-rummage @ the crocodile every first sunday of the month (awesome local arts & crafts - AND they spin great music - good people-watching, too).

Best secret deals (happy hours, free museum times,free music locations, eats...):
great outdoor bars with happy hour: sam's steakhouse (happy hour 4-6pm daily), twilight (happy hour m-f 5-8pm & sa-sun 4-8pm), islander (hh m-f 5-7pm), roanoke tavern (no happy hour but they have TABLE TENNIS!) & contour (hh m-f 4-8pm & sa-sun 2-8pm).

Best bets for lodging: there are 2 hostels in town: green tortoise & hostelling international.

Is public transport available? Do you recommend it? If so, how much is it? If not, how should a visitor get around?
no train, but there's an extensive bus system ($1.25-$1.50 depending on the time). it's kind of overwelming since the buses weave through seemingly circuitous routes, but you can go online (http://transit.metrokc.gov/) and get door to door directions. walking's a good option, but the hill's ain't no joke. if you do drive, the cheapest parking lot in downtown i've found ($5 for all day) is on union just west of 1st - it's very close to the market, ironically.

Local book store(s)/music shop(s)/co-ops/other shops to check out (any feminist bookstores left out there?):>elliott bay bookstore, bailey-coy bookstore, TONS of used bookstores all over, sonic boom records, wall of sound records, pcc market (good market), any of the amazing farmer's markets that offer the best organics (http://www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org/ - please note that this is NOT a complete list - the ballard farmer's market is year-round, not listed, located on market street), damsel, lipstick traces & blue bottle are all fun for one-of-a-kind arty stuff & clothing.

Locally-run cheap restaurant(s) you dig (yay to veg friendly and regional flair ones!):
Thai: jamjuree

Mexican: la carta oaxaca (medium priced - best mole in the city) or, for super cheap: bimbo's

Fish/seafood: ? most seafood places are a little too spendy for me

Breakfast: the bay cafe (fisherman's terminal: blue collar, cheap, fabulous view of the harbor, never any wait and awesome fresh food) or jitterbug cafe (a little more spendy but good) or coastal kitchen (again, spendier but good)

Diner: the five point, which is also a bar, is great for people-watching and is open super late.

Comfort food: especially after drinking? the frites place next to neumos. nothing but frites and like a dozen different kinds of fritesaus. open late. and then there's clara's in wallingford: good HAWAIIAN comfort food - mid-priced with a decent wine selection.

Good salad / salad bar: whole foods salad bar

Vegan food?: araya's (thai - they use a lot of seitan) & cyber dog's (upscale veggie dogs - sounds gross, but it's delicious)

Takeout: no se.

Pizza: stellar pizza or hot mama's or romio's

Coffee shop with character: bauhaus (hands down BEST people watching and FAB drip & FAB espresso, has wifi, too - AND they were playing erasure when i was there this weekend), zeitgeist and vivace.

Regional fare: again, too spendy for me.

Yer fav fancier place: cheap is fancy for me these days.

Others to recommend: ethiopian: pan africa or lalibela or meskel - pho: pho of aurora (better than "than brothers," no question, and you can watch the sex workers do their thang out on aurora) - vietnamese sammiches: seattle deli - gelato: bottega italiana (try the chocolate) - donuts: top pot (for real)

One road trip outta town you like: going out to the olympic coast; driving out through the cascades on 20.

Best/worst time of year to come. Why: best: june through mid-november - the weather's perfect, mild & clear - although i have to admit it's really cool to see the camillas blooming in february, and then the cherry blossoms and dogwood kick in march, and the rhododendrons and wisteria go apeshit in april! >worst: december-march - low ceiling skis. monochrome grey.

Shoes you recommend bringing for a good visit: good walkin' tchooz.

Quirks of yer town we should know about:>the drivers are horrible: polite and indecisive.

A bit about who you are:
i'm an artfag-jock mid-30s personal trainer and about to go to grad school for a physical therapy degree. into all sorts of music but gang of four, pixies, birthday party, bowie, cat power, all sorts of "nst-nst" music for working out (like jungle brother remixes, dubtribe soundsystem, fsol, diamanda galas remixes, old severed heads, front 242, revolting cocks), st. germain, old sabbath, lanterna, melvins, this mortal coil, modest mouse, arcade fire, etc. fiction - middlesex was my last favorite. robert olen butler's shorts are amazing. give me a nytimes magazine, harper's, the sun or smithsonian review, and i'm a happy clam. love periodicals. and will show up early to any appointment to dive into people/us-weekly trash!! i won't buy it, but i sure do love flipping through that nonsense. i dig breakdancers, my headphones, peppermint tea, graffiti art, capoeira, triathlon, block parties, tube socks, (road) bike porn, high performance gear that doesn't smell and that i can prodeal, old tools, oil cans, knife blanks, suicide girls, the color orange, pomegranites, cake, eating, shoe forms, undiscovered thrift stores without offensive prices, poppies, pansies, public gardens and p-patches, farmer's markets, people-watching, water, mountains, riding buses, smiling at strangers, williamsburg, brooklyn, chicago, memories of endless brunches @ leo's lunchroom, wicker park.

LOCAL POLL II NOTE 2

Hizzah! Four new questions!:

1. Best jukeboxes:

2. Where can you find Galaga in your town? Or Space Invaders. Or Elvis pinball. Or batting cages? Any other favorite play spots to share?:

3. Best public place to nap and/or picnic:

4. Best inexpensive way in from the airport for travelers who have no one to pick em up, or who wanna spare their hosts the hassle (public transport options preferred!):

Also, y'all -- PLEASE PASS ON ANY WORKER-SUPPORTIVE BUSINESSES OR THANGS! thanks.

On my trip back to CU for Sally's graduation a few weeks back, i was very excited to learn that JFK Airport has not one, but at least three Galagas, uh, Galagum? Galagi?, for trapped travelers to partake in. i love Galaga. Yeah, one's in the ticketing area, another is across from a lonely but cheerful Northwest terminal bar that has Harp on tap. the last i saw was hidden further down the same corridor. i left NY quarter-less and giddy. Friday, i head for espana out of JFK. Oh, the fun that awaits!

Yeah, airports. Of the three major airports out here, JFK is the least convenient to fly into if you wanna get to Manhattan. It's way out in east, east, east Brooklyn. Or is it south, south, southeast Queens? Well, either way. It's way the hell out there. And, truth be told, if you are a fan of the public transport, none of the NY airports are at all great. The MTA is set up so the train pass you buy from them that gets you around the city won't get you directly to any of the airports. It's craziness. So, you haveta pay extra to take a longish NJ Transit rail or a long MTA train ride and transfer over to buy a tic on the total ripoff inter-airport monorails for Newark and JFK (very evil geniuses designed this system). MTA to a wildly meandering bus tour through Queens or a $25 cab gets you to Laguardia. Especially if yer getting into town late, Laguardia is by far the best bet of the lot (don't fly into Newark late and try to get to the city unless yer cabbin it. DOOON'T DO IT!). Yeah, so Laguardia's a'iet. With the addition of randomly strewn Galaga magic to pass the in-between time, though, distance has a fierce new competitor on the block, and JFK is looking a little more friendly to this traveler. Yep.

Ok -- so four new questions. Also, y'all, feel free to add comments to the posts on places you know things about too. Specific questions yer interested in more info on about the posted areas are welcome too.

Oh, last thing. coming back from Providence yesterday, i experienced my first pigeon fly-by. And it almost seemed appropriate, cause, at least once a week, i cross one that i really, really, REALLY want to kick (i know it's bad). Like, to the point that, sometimes, i need to make myself think out the words "aimee, you are NOT going to start kicking pigeons." Yeah. This musta been their "We see you! Back offa the walkas, sista" warning. Add "freak mindreading powers" to the m.o.s of those beedy red eyed, belly-ruttered, kickably plump birdemons. They're robots too.

So the fly-by: i went from the airport to home, dropped off my bag, and headed out the door into the NY sunshine (how i missed you). Found a bright bench in the park, where i plopped down and sat listening to my espanol cds next to a group of very fiesty park people. After about 20 minutes, the dreadded fella next to me waved to get my attention, and pointed past me. i followed the direction of his finger to the end of the bench, took out my earphones and turned back to him with a "huh?" "Oh. Thah! On y'leg!" he said. i looked down to my jeaned right shin crossed over the left, and saw a penny sized splotch beginning to run down it. "Ahhhw," i said. "Eeets good luck," he replied. "Yeah?" i asked. "Guess it coulda landed on my head." "Yah man. Thas ri. Eeet means reeal good luck." he said. i'm not gonna argue.

More weirdly couched good luck offered from the generous city. No forcing the unexpected or the unknown. Just gotta work with what, uh, falls. (And, ideally, be surrounded by some beautifully positive and joyful folk who remind that playing the hand yer dealt is still play, even when yer literally working with shit.) Thanks, dread guy!

xo

LOCAL POLL II #4 -- HOUSTON, TAY-HAS!

What's yer name/nickname yer going with here: Elizabeth

Where do you live?: Houston, TX - yes, I know it doesn't have the best rep, but it's actually a pretty cool city if you know what to do and where to go.

What neighborhoods or areas around where you live you do you recommend exploring? I live in Montrose - the city's gay/artsy neighborhood. It's definitely the coolest spot as far as I'm concerned. There are good restaurants, coffee shops, and arty spots. The Museum District, as its name suggests, is where all the city's (excellent) museums are concentrated. Downtown is good for arts, culture, and nice bars. The Heights has good antique shops, delis, and a few restaurants and bars. And the Village, near Rice University, is one of the few places in the city where you can walk around and shop, eat, etc. Basically as long as you stay inside the inner loop (literally, beltway 610 that encircles the inner part of the city) you're fine. I only venture outside of the inner loop to eat ethnic food - there are cool ethnic neighborhoods primarily in the southwest and northwest.

Any good parks round you for sitting in or wandering through? There's Memorial Park, a 1500 acre lovely wooded spot with walking/biking/jogging trails, tennis courts, etc. And in the Museum District there's Hermann Park, which has a botanical gardens and an outdoor theatre that does free performances most of the year (including the Houston Shakespeare Festival in July and August).

Other local features or beautiful natural spots to take in? Houston, unfortunately, isn't big on nature - and it's too hot most of the year to be outside for extended periods. But there is quite a nice walkway along the bayou downtown, with waterfalls, etc. It's a nice place for a stroll before or after a movie, play, concert, or opera. There's also Bayou Bend, a lovely house and gardens that once belonged to wealthy arts patroness Ima Hogg (yes, her real name). And about an hour south of the city is Brazos Bend Park, where you can stroll or bike around and check out the 'gators.

Any good festivals? When? The Art Car Parade in May is the best - hundreds of bizarrely-decorated cars that parade down Allen Parkway (quite close to my apartment). There's a definite weirdo vibe about the whole thing, and a lot of politically-inspired cars, as well - my fave this year had Dubya sitting on top of a bomb emblazoned with "LIAR." There is also a huge gay pride parade in late June. The International Festival is also in May - or late April - and features a different country each year. Fotofest - huge photography exhibit - is held here every two years. Next one is in March/April 2006.

Best on-line/print source(s) for local entertainment info: The Houston Press is the alternative weekly and is a much preferable alternative to the Houston Chronicle, the "big" paper, which sucks, in my opinion. The Press has dining, arts, music listings on its website: http://www.houstonpress.com - also make sure to check out their "Best of" issues online, which have tons of recommendations for places to go, things to do, etc.

Best place(s) to stop in to see inexpensive local music (particularly those that regularly book bands with females): My favorite local pub is also a great local
music venue - Rudyard's on Waugh in Montrose. Downstairs is a great bar usually with good beers on tap (Texas brews are cheap on Tuesdays) and upstairs is a music venue where mostly local bands play. I am also fond of the Mucky Duck, which is a folk/alt-country venue.

Best place(s) to stop in to dance: Houston is unfortunately really dominated by a crappy techno club scene, so I'm not that familiar with places to dance. I keep meaning to check out 80s night at Numbers, which is also a music venue, on Westheimer in Montrose - but I've clearly been slacking.

Best place(s) to stop in to get a beer without pretention or hoo-haw: Rudyard's - mentioned above - is the best. They also have good burgers - both meat and veggie. McElroy's (off of Richmond and Shepherd) is a good Irish pub with big leather seating requisitioned from the old Rice Hotel. The Ginger Man in Rice Village has an amazing number of beers on tap - around 60, I think. Brasil, on Dunlavy just off Westheimer, is a very cool coffeehouse/bar that also serves great food. Onion Creek, in the Heights on White Oak, is also a great coffeehouse/bar with a lot of outside seating.

Best place(s) to stop in to get a drink (ideally also without pretention or hoo-haw): Downtown has a lot of nice bars - La Carafe (on Market Square) is the oldest bar in the city; it's tiny with lots of drippy candles and a great jukebox. They only serve beer and wine, but the atmosphere makes it worth it. Twelve Spot and the Cotton Exchange (both on Travis) are more swanky, with beautiful interiors. The Cotton Exchange makes a mean mint julep. Absinthe, on Richmond in Montrose, also has a cool interior, and nice bartenders. Poison Girl, on Westheimer, is a haven for local artists and musicians.

Best place(s) to stop in just to stop in while visiting: The aforementioned Brasil is a must- definitely the coolest spot in Montrose to hang out, have a good coffee, beer, or glass of wine, and eat some tasty food. The couple that own Brasil also own the gallery next door (Mixture) and the clothing store Raye. Other places to check out: the cinemas (the Angelika Film Center downtown, the Museum of Fine Arts and Rice Cinema's excellent repertory programs, and two Landmark Art theatres); the theatre scene (the Alley Theatre, Stages Rep, and especially the coolest company in town, Infernal Bridegroom Productions); the dance scene (Suchu Dance, FLY, Houston Ballet, Sandra Organ Company); Houston Center for Contemporary Craft; the Art Car Museum.

Best secret deals: The Contemporary Arts Museum and the Menil Collection are always free - as is the Art Car Museum. The Museum of Fine Arts is always free on Thursdays. Cheap beers can be found at the Flying Saucer downtown ($2.50 pints on Monday nights) and the Stag's Head ($2.75 pints on Sunday nights). Both have very good selections - so you can end up getting an $8 Belgian beer for cheap.

Best jukeboxes: Rudyard's has a great jukebox, as does La Carafe. They're probably my faves.

Where can you find Galaga in your town? Any batting cages? Any other favorite play spots to share?: There's a sit-down Galaga/Ms. PacMan machine in Onion Creek, and a stand-up one in the Edwards Cinema, downstairs near theatre #1. There's also a place downtown called Joysticks that sells video games, but apparently doesn't mind if you go in and play with their machines.

Best bets for lodging: There are some nice B&Bs in Montrose - especially the Lovett Inn. Hotels are cheaper on the weekends, especially in the summer, because Houston is primarily a business travel destination during the week.

Is public transport available? Do you recommend it? If so, how much is it? If not, how should a visitor get around? This is something of a problem in Houston - our public transport system isn't the best. There is a bus system that's not bad - $2 will get you a day pass that you can use an unlimited number of times. There is also a light rail that travels a grand total of 7 miles between downtown and the medical center - so if you're staying downtown you can see the Museum District by rail. The city is enormous, so walking around (especially in the heat) doesn't work all that well.

Local book store(s)/music shop(s)/co-ops/other shops to check out: Brazos Bookstore on Bissonnet is the best local bookstore - they do an excellent reading series that features local and national authors. Their selection is small but very well-chosen. Cactus Music on Alabama and Shepherd is the best independent music store and also the best for video rentals. Half Price Books has several local branches that are great - one in Montrose on Westheimer and one in Rice Village on University. Quarter Price Books on Shepherd is also a good used bookstore. There's a couple of farmer's markets and co-ops around town - one at T'afia restaurant in Midtown, Saturdays 8 AM - noon. One at Onion Creek in the Heights, same time. And there's a food co-op run out of Taft Street Coffee in Montrose - also a very good non-profit coffeehouse. The Menil Collection has a great bookstore - mostly art books but also has cool little gifty things made by local artists.

Locally-run cheap restaurant(s) you dig (yay to veg friendly and regional flair ones!):
Mexican: where do I start? Chuy's on Westheimer is best for Tex-Mex; Berryhill Tamales on Revere is best for fish tacos and tamales (fish tacos are $2 on Mondays and Fridays); Otilia's on Long Point is best for interior Mexican; and Hugo's on Westheimer is best for hugely inventive, albeit not cheap, authentic Mexican.
Fish/seafood: Goode Company Seafood, on Westpark - fresh Gulf seafood, and a local institution.
Breakfast: Barnaby's, a local chain with a couple of branches around town. The original, a Montrose institution, is on Fairview.
Diner: Katz's deli, on Westheimer, is open 24 hours - good, authentic Jewish food.
Comfort food: check out the chicken pot pie at Daily Review Cafe on Dunlavy.
Good salad / salad bar: I get the salads at Brasil, Daily Review, and Empire Cafe on Westheimer.
Vegan food?: IN HOUSTON? ha ha - they're all meat eaters down here. Nonetheless... Taft Street Coffee has vegan desserts. A good place to take vegetarians is the Hobbit Cafe, which is Tolkien-themed and has lots of good veggie sandwiches, salads, and burgers. There's also Madras Pavilion, a south Indian vegetarian place, which is excellent. Jenni's Noodle House, a cute pan-Asian place, also has lots of vegan/vegetarian food.
Pizza: Romano's, on Gray in Montrose, does authentic New York-style pizza, great pastas, and calzones. Our oasis of NYC cuisine in the South.
Coffee shop with character: Brasil, Onion Creek, Taft Street (see above).
Regional fare: any of the Mexican places I mentioned, Goode Company Barbecue.
Yer fav fancier place: Hugo's (Mexican), Backstreet Cafe (fusion), Da Marco (Italian), Cafe Rabelais (French), Ouisie's Table (Southern).
Others to recommend: Good family-run Italian place in the Heights: Patrenella's. Late-night Vietnamese/Chinese food: Mai's. Fabulous tapas in the Village: Mi Luna. Yummy Cuban food: Cafe Piquet. Cheap, good Middle Eastern/Greek food in Montrose (love the falafel): Niko Niko's.

Cool local activism to look out for: Houston Peace and Justice sponsors protests against the Iraq war, among other stuff; the Artery is a neat venue for political and progressive lectures, films, and other events (arteryhouston.org).

One road trip outta town you like: Austin is 2 1/2 hours away - kind of far for a day trip, but worth an overnight. And New Orleans is 5 1/2 hours - but so nice, we've been there twice.

Best/worst time of year to come. Why: Houston is in the 90s and extremely humid from June through October. It's hard to do anything outside during those times. The spring - March, April, May - is usually lovely, as is November.

Shoes you recommend bringing for a good visit: Nobody walks here, unfortunately, so it kinda doesn't matter. Comfy sandals, I'd say, especially if it's hot.

Quirks of yer town we should know about: Politically, Houston is a weird bird: it's primarily Democratic (the center of the city, anyway) - we have a Democratic mayor, an African-American woman representative (Sheila Jackson Lee) from our district, and there's a lot of counter-cultural stuff going on here. But yet it's also the petroleum capitol of the world, the home of Enron and other evil corps, and Tom DeLay is the rep for the southern burbs. And of course it's home to former prez Bush Sr. I guess because it's such a conflicted place, I have conflicting feelings about it. I'm not fond of the traffic, the air pollution, the heat, the giant cockroaches, or the oil money assholes. And yet I am fond of my neighborhood, the great bars and restaurants, the culture, the amazing diversity (Anglos are not in the majority here), and the people I've met here.

A bit about who you are: I'm 31, and I'm from the east coast (Jersey) originally, so this whole Southern thing is still kinda new to me, even though I've lived in Houston for nearly three years. I teach English lit. (mostly Shakespeare) and Women's Studies at two of the University of Houston campuses. I used to do a lot of artsy stuff - acting, directing, writing, even singing in a band (briefly) while I was in grad school at University of Illinois. Now I'm focusing on my teaching so I'm sublimating my artistic impulses into crafting - knitting, primarily. I have a knitblog where I talk about my crafty stuff, and sometimes about my teaching and reading: A Mingled Yarn - http://www.elizabethklett.com/knit.html. I read novels and feminist mags voraciously, listen to indie rock and alt-country, go to the movies, and hang out in bars.

LOCAL POLL II

oh, perfect!

info's comin in from unexpected corners and beautiful mover-and-shaker folk. thanks, Mary P, Ellen, and Radym! we've got three cities sketched out. please do keep em comin, yall. i'll post em up as i get em up until thurs night.

providence, rhode island is cloudy and drizzly and cold and down-to-earth gritty warm and lovely. Grrr and i met up there, and had a loooong weekend wandering through it on friday. later saturday after some work, we headed for the southern jellyfish- and sailboat- strewn coast of the union's smallest state where we shared a cozy bar with insufferable (but thankfully non-gregarious) socially bopolar high society folk who nearly made our apple-cheeked and beach-touseled bartender cry, and crossed paths with service workers who we want to have as our new best friends. i am happy to report that, thanks to providence's new local Matt Puckett's new band's rock show, and to thursday's The Butchies show, my jadedness on the music "scene" is falling away. fuck the scene. love the music.

welcome back, a little bitta simple happy.

xo

LOCAL POLL II #3 - AUKLAND, NEW ZEALAND!

What's yer name/nickname yer going with here:
Ellen

Where do you live?:
Auckland, New Zealand

What neighborhoods or areas around where you live you do you recommend exploring?
It has taken a long time for Auckland to grow on me - it's kind of a personality-less city on first impression. But now I can say: go to Mt. Eden for coffee shops and restaurants and second hand stores and book stores; K Road, which smells like incense, for its eccentricity; and the Shortland Street area (and the Viaduct) if you're in the mood for a yuppie encounter.

Any good parks round you for sitting in or wandering through?
I live in the "Eastern 'Burbs" so I go jogging in Waiatarua Reserve. The track goes around the edges, but in the middle is a birds' watering hole, where you get to see all sorts of fun Kiwi Birds. Just the other day I saw a White Heron - which is a pretty special sight.

The Domain is the big park in Central Auckland which is also worth a gander - lotsa gnarly pohutukawa trees and views across the Waitemata Harbour.

Albert Park is right across from where I work, and that's the place to go to hang with the Uni-kids. and it's pretty. I also like to take my lunch down to the Viaduct Harbour and sit there watching the sail boats go by.

Any good festivals? When?
I like the festivals that are inspired by the burgeoning immigrant population. I went to the Hindu New Year celebration and to the Chinese Lantern Festival. I missed Buddha day though. If you come away with nothing else, you will at least find some good food.

Right now it's New Zealand Music Month, which isn't really a festival, as much as it is a cause for binging on rock shows.

Best on-line/print source(s) for local entertainment info:
I been going to www.muzic.co.nz for my rock show info. They also have a pretty good catalog of the local music. The difference here is that "local" means "national" - New Zealand is small that way.

Best place(s) to stop in to see inexpensive local rock music (particularly those that regularly book bands with females):
Kings Arms Tavern! i'm sure there's others, but that's become my regular largely cuz it books international acts as well as locals, and it's the grungy rock venue we all know and love (regardless of what town you live in). Old-fashioned glass chandeliers ironically hang from the ceiling - i love how that gives the place a sort
of identity crisis.

Best place(s) to stop in to dance:
I haven't explored the options here - but I've been to Boogie Wonderland which has a dance floor that lights up a la Saturday NIght Fever, and takes its tunes mostly from the 70s and 80s. fun fun.

Best place(s) to stop in to get a beer without pretention or hoo haw:
i been hangin' at the campus bars, just cuz that's where I go with the co-workers. My general impression is that drinking in New Zealand is easy and non-pretentious pretty much anywhere you go. However, I should add that outside the city, when you get to TRUE local pubs, it's a little less easy, because when you walk in, the locals look up from their beers to inspect The Outsider, and that can be a little intimidating actually.

Best place(s) to stop in to get a drink: i got nothin' to add.

Best place(s) to stop in just to stop in while visiting:
Art Gallery Cafe has a lovely patio cafe. Aotea Square - oh i can't believe i haven't mentioned that yet - nice place to sit and drink coffee, watching people go by (when it's not raining).

Best secret deals:
i know they exist, but they're not in my head.

Best bets for lodging:
the hostels in town are kinda shady - some of 'em look like they double as flophouses, so you gotta be careful. that's not really a recommendation, but it is a tip, nonetheless.

Is public transport available? Do you recommend it? If so, how much is it? If not, how should a visitor get around?
Busses are sub-optimal, but you can make 'em work. There's always cabs when the busses fail, but they're expensive, so try to make the busses work. If you stay in the inner city, your feet will take you far enough anyway, because the inner city is small.

Local book store(s)/music shop(s) to check out:
Unity on High street.

Locally-run cheap restaurant(s) you dig (yay to veg friendly and regional flair ones!):
GO to the food courts and take your pick. seriously - so many options (indian, thai, malaysian, dim sum, sushi, kebabs, and on and on)! and they're usually
really good and cheap to boot!

One road trip outta town you like:
The West Coast beaches (Piha, Kerikeri, Bethells). That's just a day trip, but the scenery is incredible - and it's right there just outside of Auckland.

Best/worst time of year to come. Why:
June through December, so i'm told. looks like it's gonna be cold and rainy the whole time.

Shoes you recommend bringing for a good visit:
Comfy walking and standing shoes.

Quirks of yer town we should know about:
Parking and traffic are ridiculous. Auckland was not built for metropolitan growth -it was built to be a gigantic 'burb - which is fine until you get stuck at a clogged intersection for 30 minutes, wondering who overlooked the need for a few extra lanes to accommodate the traffic around here. Just take some patience with you when you're trying to get around, and avoid rush hour, of course.

A bit about who you are:
I'm a scientist. I am 30. I am reading the Unbearable Lightness of Being. I been listening to Nick Cave of late. and I like writing and swimming and sailing - anything with water (preferably salty) is good for me.

LOCAL POLL II #2 -- HIGHLAND PARK, NJ!

**
If you are ever Jersey way, come check out my current hometown of Highland Park. 

Now I’m a 36 year old mom of a fabulous trio who are 2, 4, and 6 years old.  That’s to say I’m just pulling out of the deer-in-the-head-lights stage of mac-n-cheese dinners, the pitter patter of little feet climbing into my bed, and endless rocking/singing/reading to comfort the annual winter ear infections.  Between mom-duty and trying to get tenure at Rutgers, I seldom get out other than to library time, t-ball, and an occasional Artists Now event – this great arts organization my honey runs that brings in kick ass artists from Scotland or the Philadelphia orchestra or a West African Drum ensemble to our little neck of the woods for a night of fun, food, and music with about 60-80 people in the comfort of someone’s home.  In fact, Jeff Helgesen and Shab/Tom Wirtle, two amazing trumpet players from our very own Champaign-Urbana, have made the trip to play out this way over the last five years.  If you can, you gotta come to the annual Ceile or other events – amazing.

For those in my life spot, Highland Park is fabulous.  For those a bit more footloose and fancy free, I’ve glimpsed that world and it seems next door New Brunswick has some fun to offer there.  Here’s the skinny on both:

TO DO in HIGHLAND PARK
Highland Park is a great walking town with a definite family focus.  Twice a year there are Highland Park days where the main street is blocked off, kids ride bikes in the street, get their face painted and climb the fire engine; others pass out t-shirts for local politicians or demonstrate the accomplishments of those at the local dojo. Most summer days there are lemonade stands and sprinklers set up, so come prepared.

Most warm weekends people take great advantage of the two parks.  At Johnson Park you can find great soccer games, with nary of word of English spoken by anyone.  Apparently, there are also some amazing games of ultimate Frisbee as well. You can also visit the little zoo, sit at the ponds, or on Sunday afternoons listen to the free concert.  At Donaldson Park it’s kid central, with up-and-coming soccer, t-ball/baseball, swing-set/playground folk –a-plenty.  At both parks, you’ll need to share your space with the plentiful geese.  In the winter, be sure to bring your sled or cross-country skiis.

Rutgers also has lots of events going on, whether at their quite good Zimmerli Art Museum or any number of talks, concerts, lectures or the like. One particularly fun event (really two events in one) is during the last weekend in April. On Douglas Campus there is a folk festival and in a near by field on Cook Campus there’s an Ag-Field day, with animals on hand, plants to buy, and games for the kids.  Both supply fun music, opportunities to people watch, and plenty of country fair food to eat.

There is also the NJ State Theatre and Stage Left which bring in theatre, comedy, ballet, music . . . It benefits by it’s proximity to NYC and we often get great performances who make a quick road trip to New Brunswick.

Best unusual thing: there is a “tow-path” – a path between New Brunswick and . . . (miles and miles and miles) that runs along the Raritan River and a canal.  It’s gorgeous – a canopy of tress along the water that makes the bumper-to-bumper seem far away.  This is great for a run, long ride, or calming walk.

Big-ole-bummers: Book stores are in sorry supply and the coffee shops are mediocre at best.  Rumor has it that this may be remedied in the next two years, a happy fact if it comes to pass.

FOOD: Mainly in New Brunswick, with a few Highland Park options thrown in. The best food is made by my buddies, Bonnie Kortrey and Kim Hammond – these women can cook!  If you go out, here are other options:

Best Restaurants: Mikada (Ethiopian) and Nova Terra (Latin American); others would argue Sophie’s Bistro (French)

My Fav Hang Out: Harvest Moon, (nice microbrewery); music on the weekend, but I usually miss this.

For a quick bite: Pad Thai (in Highland Park) has great food, though only so-so ambiance.

Fun dives: Tumulty’s (music in the basement, Wed is open mic -- a real hit or miss moment)

Best Breakfast: Bagel Dish (a Highland Park claim to fame)

Pizza: Lil Tony’s – the pizza is pretty good, but the folks who run it are fabulous.

Ice Cream: Corner Confectionary (Highland Park) – yummmmm.

Most of the above restaurants have extensive vegetarian options. In addition, in Highland Park, there is a high orthodox Jewish population, so for this Irish Catholic girl, I’ve seen words next together that I’ve never seen before: Kosher Pizza or Kosher Chinese.

Although Highland Park cannot compete with NYC, it’s neighbor 45 minutes via the NE Corridor, if you come on out this way, there’s plenty to do and see.

Mary P.

LOCAL POLL II #1: LAKE WORTH, FLORIDA!

What's yer name/nickname yer going with here: Radym

Where do you live?: Lake Worth, FL

What neighborhoods or areas around where you live you do you recommend exploring? All of Lake Worth (except the intracoastal) rocks! We have a tight-knit radical community  that enjoys potlucks, midnight bikerides to the beach, and making honest connections with our neighbors in the community.

Any good parks round you for sitting in or wandering through? Yes. My favorite is in front of the library and behind the historical society. It's in the middle of downtown, so you get that hustle-and-bustle feeling, but it's also a great place to just sit and hang out.

Any good festivals? When? Sun Fest is supposed to be good, although I didn't go this year. It takes place in late April, I believe. The pride fest in Lake Worth (Ell Dub) is suprisingly not that corporate!

Best on-line/print source(s) for local entertainment info: City Link and the Broward-Palm Beach New Times

Best place(s) to stop in to see inexpensive local rock music (particularly those that regularly book bands with females): Haven't found out yet, but would totally be willing to get my ass in gear and find a venue if the Violents were coming in town.

Best place(s) to stop in to dance: Anywhere me and my friends go.

Best place(s) to stop in to get a beer without pretention or hoo-haw: Harry's Banana Farm. Fucking awesome jukebox, alligators on the wall, and friends -- what more could you ask for?

Best place(s) to stop in to get a drink: I'd still have to say Harry's

Best place(s) to stop in just to stop in while visiting:  Radym's house.

Best secret deals : During the summer, there's a little craft/music festival every friday night.

Best bets for lodging: Radym's house.

Is public transport available? Do you recommend it? If so, how much is it? If not, how should a visitor get around? Buses run all over the place. We also have the Tri-Rail, which goes from Palm Beach to Miami. They're both pretty cheap. Lake Worth also has a horde of bicycles to let our friends use when they come in town.

Locally-run cheap restaurant(s) you dig (yay to veg friendly and regional flair ones!):
       Mexican: Lupita's
       Vegan food?: Radym's house
       Coffee shop with character: Lupita's -- Mexican coffee rules!


One road trip outta town you like: Tallahassee -- though I haven't gone yet, I hear that there's a great community of people up there.

Best/worst time of year to come. Why: Summer -- it's fucking hot as hell.

Shoes you recommend bringing for a good visit: Biking shoes.

A bit about who you are: I'm a radycal librarian who loves fagatron, limp wrist, and other queer-positive hardcore/non-hardcore music. I'm currently reading "The Kite Runner." If you haven't read it, you have to pick it up at your local library -- it's intense. I love children, and want a puppy really badly.

Friday, 20 May -- LOCAL POLL II

About Place

with all the travel ive been doing lately for work, i'm finding myself increasingly disappointed by travel guides and web sites. i mean, who are these people? i never know.

ive also been disappointed in my own ability to not be down enough with the peoplo to know how to use my on-the-road dollas to support the good local stuff in new cities. yeah. ill come clean -- im one of those people who "is in town for business." got some privilege guilt going on about that. but i was raised catholic, so guilt's no surprise. and i think this is another area where i needta challenge it. when i go somewhere with an expense account, i wanna be able to spend this company's money consciously backing the stuff i wanna back, like i would spend my own. it doesn't need to be an awful thing.

have you ever seen those "keep xtown weird" stickers? they're in bumper sticker form all over austin and portland. i really dig the sentiment: support the crazy, vibrant stuff that bubbles up organically from this place that feeds it, gives back to it, and makes this place rich and unique and special. totally. that's the good stuff. but it's also usually the small (which is also good), scrappy, not able or maybe interested in buying off the travel writer kinda places. so, how do you hear about this stuff? huh?

im gathering some info on other places from the spicy, diy/community-minded people i know on these places and things to support in other towns. wanna have this info for myself, and also plan to gather it all in an upcoming edition of ma zine, which i will draw scribbly pictures in and share with others.

PLEASE NOTE: i have particular interest here in spotlighting locally-run places and businesses that are good to their workers (fair wages, insurance, time off, women allowed to thrive in their roles, non-evil management...). people spend their money for many reasons. best schmest. quality is in the eye of the assessor. and while other factors matter some too, i wanna work more at spending my bux where those who add to local vibrancy are taken care of, and not treated as disposable. And i wanna work more at spreading the word of these places. (i am especially interested in hearing about any restaurants where female workers are treated well in "the back of the house" -- the kitchen --, and are given opportunities to move up. many restaurants are real bad to females.)

so, good spicy, community-minded PEOPLE!
please help by answering the following questions about yer hood. please mark places you mention that you know to be good to workers with a "*". and, if you don't have any answer for one, just leave it blank. don't worry bout it.
thanks!

What's yer name/nickname yer going with here:

Where do you live?:

What neighborhoods or areas around where you live you do you recommend exploring?

Any good parks round you for sitting in or wandering through?

Other local features or beautiful natural spots to take in:

Any good festivals? When?

Best non-stupid on-line/print source(s) for local entertainment info:

Best place(s) to stop in to see inexpensive local music (particularly those that regularly book bands with females):

Best place(s) to stop in to dance:

Best place(s) to stop in to get a beer without pretention or hoo-haw:

Best place(s) to stop in to get a drink (ideally also without pretention or hoo-haw):

Best place(s) to stop in just to stop in while visiting:

Best secret deals (happy hours, free museum times, free music locations, free peanuts, special treats...):

Best jukeboxes:

Where can you find Galaga in your town? Or Space Invaders. Or Elvis pinball. Or batting cages? Any other favorite play spots to share?:

Best public place to nap and/or picnic:

Best inexpensive way in from the airport for travelers who have no one to pick em up, or who wanna spare their hosts the hassle (public transport options preferred!):

Best bets for lodging:

Is public transport available? Do you recommend it? If so, how much is it? If not, how should a visitor get around?

Local book store(s)/music shop(s)/co-ops/otha shops to check out (any feminist bookstores left out there?):

Locally-run cheap restaurant(s) you dig (yay to veg-friendly and regional flair ones!):
Thai:
Mexican:
Fish/seafood:
Breakfast:
Diner:
Comfort food:
Good salad / salad bar:
Vegan food?:
Takeout:
Pizza:
Coffee shop with character:
Regional fare:
Yer fav fancier place:
Those to avoid cause they treat their workers poorly:
Others to recommend:

Cool local activism to look out for:

One road trip outta town you like:

Best/worst time of year to come. Why:

Shoes you recommend bringing for a good visit:

Quirks of yer town we should know about:

A bit about who you are (what are you into, approx age, what do you like to do/listen to/read? i hate faceless reviews. this will give some insight into where the sadie hill these reccs are coming from!):

please reply to this by June 7. send me yer info, and ill get you a copy of what gets pulled togetha when it gets pulled togetha.

ok. off to see The Butchies, then to Providence. happy Friday, y'all!