Dinner At Grandmas

Sammy was wiggling around, but he held still long enough to take a photo with Grandpa.

Chomp

Grandma, don't put little Sammy in a headlock.  Just hold him nicely.  Grandma, he doesn't like that.

The Clockwork Lullaby Machine

The Clockwork Lullaby Machine
Ripley's Odditorium - Atlantic City, NJ
This was made for the 1968 film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang starring Dick Van Dyke.  It was invented by Rowland Emett, and although I didn't hear it, I'm told that it actually does play music.

Edible Artwork

Roulette Wheel
Ripley's Odditorium - Atlantic City, NJ
The framed artwork behind me is made out of 14,000 jellybeans.

Whitey The Thief

Richie Ashburn Wheaties ad
General Mills (1949)
One of the greatest Phillies of all time was born 90 years ago today.  In his second year in baseball, the center fielder had his own Wheaties ad.  I love the visual of Ashburn stripping the first baseman and taking his uniform with him as he steals second base.

For All Your Impaling Needs

Vlad Tepes
Ripley's Odditorium - Atlantic City, NJ
This seems like a good outfit for a job interview.  Practice that grin to get it just right.

Another Brick In The Wall

The Berlin Wall
Ripley's Odditorium - Atlantic City, NJ
It's crazy that this huge chunk of history is sitting in a building on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City.  I was nine years old when it was torn down, so I didn't fully understand how big of a moment it was when it was happening.  My most vivid memory of the fall of the Berlin Wall was being in my grandparent's kitchen and my Grandpa telling me that they were selling chunks of the wall at Boscov's for ten bucks.  They weren't quite as big as this one though.

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How To Get Ahead In Life

Shrunken Head
Ripley's Odditorium - Atlantic City, NJ
The Jivaroan people seem like they'd make lousy neighbors.  Once a year, they would send out a raiding party to attack a homestead where they would decapitate the adults and boys to make shrunken heads, and kidnap the younger women and girls to take as "brides".

Life And Death

Skull Optical Illusion
Ripley's Odditorium - Atlantic City, NJ
Earlier this week, we went to the Ripley's Believe It Or Not Odditorium on the Atlantic City Boardwalk.  The next few days are going to be random photos from the museum.

Sammy Is Growing Up Fast

We made it back from New Jersey to my grandparents house just in time for my stepmother's birthday.  Little Sammy is growing up pretty fast.

A Late Night Dinner

Mia
Caesar's Palace - Atlantic City, NJ
This was excellent - delicious food in an absolutely beautiful setting.  I had the grilled hanger steak with roasted garlic pommes puree, braised shallots and Beurre Maître d'Hôtel.

Back To Trump Plaza

Trump Plaza
Atlantic City, NJ
Spending a few days at the Boardwalk to check out the restaurants and play roulette.

You're Standing On My Neck

Daria
MTV (1997-2002)
There aren't very many characters that I can relate to as strongly as I do to Daria Morgendorffer.  The animated series that she stars in premiered on MTV ten years ago today.

Black Comedy

Lewis Black: Red, White & Screwed
Cove Haven Pocono Resort - Lakeville, PA
Last night, we had the opportunity to see one of the funniest stand-up comedians in the world.  My sides are still sore from laughing.

Flame Broiled For Fifty Years

Burger King coupon circular
January 1982
The Whopper was introduced at Burger King restaurants in 1957 and is turning 50 this year.  The coupons in this circular were distributed in Sunday newspapers across the country when the burger was entering its 25th year on the menu.

Dreaming Of Chasing Bunnies

Sammy looks very sweet napping on my bed.

Frozen Fountain

Detwiller Plaza Fountain
Main Street - Hellertown, PA
We found this fountain last week when we went to see Chikara: King Of Trios at the American Legion in Hellertown.  It's in a little park on Main Street that also includes a clock tower.  The clock tower was built in the 1980's, but the fountain dates back to the 40's.  Although it can't be seen in the winter when it's frozen over like this, the fountain is lit with fixtures that were repurposed from General Electric exhibit at the 1939 World's Fair.

Introducing Sammy

Meet the newest member of the family.  This is Sammy.

Shopping Through The Snow

Hazleton Shopping Center
Broad Street - Hazleton, PA
Give it a few weeks and the plow pile will be taller than the sign.

At Least They Spelled Cantonese Right

Brothers Buffet
Fairlane Village Mall - Pottsville, PA
Where else can you get "Mandain", "Amercian" and "Japanaise" food all under one roof?  What are you waiting for?

West Hazleton Snow Shoveling

The Rise Of Morishima

ROH: Fifth Year Festival - Night Two
PA National Guard Armory - Philadelphia, PA
Ring Of Honor have decided to split up their annual Anniversary Show into six different nights that are scheduled in venues in five cities across two counties from February 16th through March 4th.  This isn't the first time that the company has divided one of their major events across multiple dates.

I'm not really sure why, but I'm slightly annoyed by this.  It kind of feels like a gimmick to sell six DVDs instead of one to the folks who can only afford to buy the big shows while, at the same time, cheapening the live event feeling a little bit.  It's still a great night of professional wrestling, but it's not quite the same to be able to attend 1/6th of the Fifth Anniversary Show.

The second show of what is being called The Fifth Year Festival was held last night at the company's Philadelphia home: the PA National Guard Armory on Southampton Road, and it was a historic night for Ring Of Honor.

After the last show, I mentioned that Gabe Sapolsky had spent the better part of a year booking Homicide as the face of the franchise.  He was built up as the savior who won the war against CZW.  Immediately after that, he was put in the "Stone Cold" Steve Austin role against the evil authority figure, with Jim Cornette serving as the ROH equivalent of Vince McMahon.  Next, he picked up the victory over his longtime rival Steve Corino, and he ended 2006 by defeating Bryan Danielson for the ROH World Championship at Final Battle.  

If 2006 was the rise of Homicide, it looked as if 2007 was going to be the year that he solidified himself as a dominant long-term champion.  Last month, he successfully defended the title against Chris Hero and the man who held the title for longer than anyone in company history, Samoa Joe.  I was in attendance for the latter (Battle Of The Icons), and it was an intense match with a red hot crowd.  On Friday, he successfully defended his title in New York against Jimmy Rave, further solidifying his status as the face of the franchise who took out one of the top heels in the company.

All of that buildup came to a sudden halt at last night's show when Homicide was defeated for the ROH World Championship by Japanese heavyweight Takeshi Morishima from Pro Wrestling Noah.  Morishima is an incredible talent who reminds me a lot of Samoa Joe, but I don't think that anyone in attendance last night expected that they would see a title change.  From what I understood, he isn't moving to the United States to work full time in ROH, but was instead on an American tour; sort of like an extended version of Kenta Kobashi's 2005 visit to the United States, but maybe not.  Whatever the situation is, one thing is is for certain - the ROH World Championship has truly become a global championship in the world of professional wrestling, and it's current holder is Takeshi Morishima.

Results:

• Rhett Titus and Pelle Primeau defeated Bobby Dempsey and "Sugarfoot" Alex Payne

• ROH Top Of The Class Trophy
  Shane Hagadorn defeated "Sugarfoot" Alex Payne

• Sara Del Ray defeated Mitch Franklin

• Nigel McGuinness defeated TJ Perkins

• Austin Aries defeated Claudio Castagnoli

• Six Person Inter-Gender Tag Team Street Fight
  "Classic" Colt Cabana, BJ Whitmer and Daizee Haze defeated "Scrap Iron" Adam Pearce, Jimmy Jacobs and Lacey

• The Briscoe Brothers (Jay Briscoe and Mark Briscoe) defeated Kevin Steen and El Generico

• Samoa Joe defeated Jimmy Rave

• FIP Heavyweight Championship Match
  Roderick Strong defeated Delirious

• ROH World Tag Team Championship Match
  "The Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels and Matt Sydal defeated Jack Evans and Shingo Takagi

• ROH World Heavyweight Championship Match
  Takeshi Morishima defeated Homicide to win the ROH World Championship*
  *Morishima became the 9th World Champion in company history

Photos From King Of Trios

The Patriot wrestled as a part of Team USA.  This was Tom Brandi, not Del Wilkes.

The ICW Texarkana Television Champion, "Sweet & Sour" Larry Sweeney

This is 20 year old Shiima Xion.  Not long ago, he toured in Japan with DDT. 

Chikara mainstays Shane Storm (left) and Jigsaw (right).

Kudo from the Kaientai Dojo promotion in Japan.

Yoshiaki Yago from the Kaientai Dojo promotion in Japan.

Miyawaki from the Kaientai Dojo promotion in Japan.

King Of Trios

Chikara King of Trios: Night One
American Legion Hall - Hellertown, PA
Chikara is a unique company and one of the most fun pro wrestling promotions I have ever been to.  What other show can you go to see luchador ice cream men, a 64 year old wrestler and a patriotic wrestling gorilla?

This show was Night One of what will be a three night tournament of six man tag team matches.  We had a lot of fun and got to meet and talk to a bunch of the wrestlers.  Included on the card were Claudio Castagnoli teaming up with Los Ice Creams, rookie phenom Ricochet and veteran Tom Brandi performing as The Patriot.

Los Ice Creams: El Hijo Del Ice Cream and Ice Cream Jr, joined by a suspicious, tie-wearing Swiss ice cream.

El Hijo Del Ice Cream takes down Crossbones while Ice Cream Jr and Claudio Castagnoli look on.

Team USA (from left to right): Jay Jaillet, US Ape and The Patriot (Tom Brandi).

Ice Cream Jr holds Chuck Taylor up for El Hijo Del Ice Cream to dive off of the top rope.

Claudio Castagnoli was unmasked for his second round match against The Kings of Wrestling.

Results:

• Up In Smoke (Cheech and Cloudy) defeated The New Jersey All-Stars (J.C. Ryder and Lucky)

• ShaneSaw (Jigsaw and Shane Storm) defeated 2.0 (Jagged and Shane Matthews)

• King of Trios Round One Match
  Los Ice Creams (El Hijo Del Ice Cream, Ice Cream Jr. and Very Mysterious Ice Cream*) defeated The Order of the Neo Solar Temple (Ultramantis Black, Crossbones and Hydra)
  *Claudio Castagnoli under a mask

• King of Trios - Round One Match
  The Iron Saints (Brandon Thomaselli, Sal Thomaselli and Vito Tomaselli) defeated The Fabulous Three ("Sweet & Sour" Larry Sweeney, Mitch Ryder and Robbie Ellis)

• King of Trios - Round One Match
  Kings of Wrestling (Chuck Taylor, Icarus and Gran Akuma) defeated Team USA (The Patriot, "Kid USA" Jay Jaillet and USApe)

• King of Trios - Round One Match
  Kaientai Dojo (Kudo, Miyawaki and Yoshiaki Yago) defeated defeated Team DDT (Danshoku Dino, Masamune and American Balloon)

• Nobutaka Moribe defeated Shiima Xion

• Maxime Boyer defeated Ricochet

• King of Trios - Round Two Match
  Kings of Wrestling (Chuck Taylor, Icarus and Gran Akuma) defeated Los Ice Creams (El Hijo Del Ice Cream, Ice Cream Jr. and Very Mysterious Ice Cream*)
  *still Claudio Castagnoli under a mask

• King of Trios - Round Two Match
  Kaientai Dojo (Kudo, Miyawaki and Yoshiaki Yago) defeated The Iron Saints (Brandon Thomaselli, Sal Thomaselli and Vito Tomaselli)

The Artwork of Keith Lee

Matador and Señora paintings
Keith Lee
These paintings have been hanging in my grandparents parlor for as long as I've been alive.  I think they bought 'em in the late 1960's.  For some reason, my grandmother was going through a bullfighter phase when she was picking out decorations for the house, because she has a ceramic bull statue too.

I never knew much about the artist, and it's not been easy to find information about him, but here's what I was able to find.  His name is Milton Lee, but he signed his work as Keith Lee.  He was born on October 12th, 1927 in Chickasha, Oklahoma.  He died less than four years ago on December 6th, 2003 in Granada Hills, California.  At some point, he had a studio on Forbes Avenue in Granada Hills.

Update: I've found other paintings of his on eBay that I really like.  This pirate ship panting is my favorite so far.  It reminds me of the end of The Goonies.