Geology Kitchen #6 - Weathering

Weathering concepts are visualized for both physical and chemical weathering processes. Freeze-thaw cycles and water action are discussed using kitchen experiments, as well as wind abrasion. The chemical disintegration and dissolution of minerals and rocks is demonstrated and discussed.

Dinosaur Sighting #2: No Limits Motors

It's always nice to drive down the road and see a dinosaur that you weren't expecting:

This little beauty is right outside No Limit Motors & EZPawn on S. Buckner & Hwy 175 in south Dallas.

There used to be Putt Putt Golf here and this guy used to be green as you can still see in this non-updated Google Maps picture:

Sandwich Tour of Dallas Part 4 - State Fair Edition!

Part 1 - - Part 2 - - Part 3

It's State Fair time but put away those corn dogs and drop those turkey legs because the Sandwich Tour of Dallas continues!

We start with an item that makes its State Fair debut this year.   Deep Fried Mac & Cheese Sliders can be found at the Steve Velasquez's food stand in the Grand Place Building (the building where they sell hot tubs, sewing machines and alpaca fur blankets).  It's like a regular slider but includes a deep fried patty of three-cheese macaroni and cheese.

When I first heard of these I didn't realize that it came with the beef patty.  I just thought the mac & cheese replaced it instead of accompanied it.  I think they could have gotten away with that but I'm glad they didn't.  The taste is great and the two components are great compliments to each other.  Apparently it takes a while to cook, or maybe they haven't streamlined the process yet, so there was a wait after I ordered.  But they are definitely a unique fair snack and worth a try.

Little Bob's B-B-Q inside the Tower Building (where the food court is) is a yearly stop for me at the fair.   It may seem a little usual (or perhaps too usual) but they've got a great thick-cut Bologna Sandwich.  But this time I went for the chopped pork bbq sandwich.

Now, Dallas bbq is a whole other set of blog entries but I'm fond of Little Bob's and bbq sandwiches are a fair staple.  This is a great option for those who might need a respite from deep fried shenanigans but still want to EAT.  The sauce is a milder variety than you usually find and the meat is smokey and flavorful.  It's filling but not too heavy and makes a great lunch.

And now on to dessert and since this is the State Fair of Texas it MUST be deep fried!  You may think that the two elements of being deep fried and in sandwich form would narrow your options but not at the State Fair.  I decided on the Deep Fried Peanut Butter, Jelly and Banana Sandwich.

I've mentioned before that as great as peanut butter is, it becomes ten times better when it's heated up.  The variety of flavors and textures meld together greatly and the batter is so good that it could be fried up and served on its own.  Like many deep fried desserts it's dusted with powdered sugar and served warm.  This one is definitely filling so you'll need to pace yourself.

These are only a small sample of what the fair has to offer.  So grab your Fair Park map, come up with a good game plan and bring your appetite.

On Location #30 - State Fair (1962) at the State Fair!

The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "State Fair" has been adapted to film several times.  The setting is the Iowa State Fair but my favorite film version was made in 1962 and the setting was changed to the "Texas State Fair."  It starred Pat Boone, Bobby Darin and Ann-Margret and was filmed at Fair Park home to the State Fair of Texas!

The film follows a family as they take their prized pig to compete at the fair.  As they head to Dallas you can see how the skyline has changed over the years:
 

The majority of Fair Park's art deco architecture is all pretty much the same today as it was in the sixties.  You can see that the main difference at the front gate today is the addition of a handy DART Station:

You can see that Big Tex has changed a little too, particularly his hat and his waving hand.  Like many celebrities might have had a little nip and tuck as well:

The midway arches are still around and still welcome excited kids to come play and ride.  Since there are a couple of arches at the Fair Park, I'm not sure if the arch in my picture (bottom) is the same one from the this scene of the film but you can tell that the design has stayed the same:

The trees near Big Tex have grown as you can see in these comparative shots of the entrance to the Grand Place building.  Big Tex is barely visible through the trees today:

And some of the art deco decorations on the outside of the Tower Building made a good backdrop for the film and are still appreciated by Fair visitors today.

So check these places out when you visit this year.  And if you'd like, feel free to frequently break into song like the did in the movie.

Geology Kitchen #5 - Chemical & Biological Sedimentary Rocks

Chemical and biological sedimentary rocks are discussed in this video. Carbonates, including limestones and dolomites are discussed, and cave stalactites are made. Evaporites are made in pan on stove experiment, and coal and chert are also examined as other forms of sedimentary rock. This episode is to be paired with the "Clastic Rocks" episode for a complete review of the sedimentary rock types.

On Location #29 - Walker, Texas Ranger Episode 4

Episode #1 - - Episode #2 - - Episode #3

The fourth episode of season 1 of Walker, Texas Ranger stars veteran character actor Bruce McGill (he played time cop Captain Braxton in Star Trek: Voyager and Al the Bartender/God in the last episode of Quantum Leap) as the bad guy who goes around town doing genuinely bad things.  One of his main stops is Brownie's Diner in the east part of Dallas:

As you can see, not only is it no longer Brownies, the restaurant that replaced it is also closed down (must have been too many bad guys hanging around):

As Mr. Bad Guy leaves you can see the the Eckerd Drug Store and Motts...

...has been replaced by a Family Dollar and Check Cashing place:

Later in the episode there is some hubbub at an old school looking bank:

The building is located on the downtown square in McKinney, TX (north of Dallas).  It's a historic building that was a bank at one time but now it's an antique shop.

Here is the building's historical marker for your reading pleasure:

Of course Walker and his partner show up to put an end to the nonsense:

But unfortunately they didn't have time to visit downtown McKinney's many unique shops and restaurants (maybe they can plan a Saturday afternoon trip sometime):

A few roundhouse kicks later and McKinney was safe from Mr. Bad Guy...but for how long???

Geology Kitchen #4 - Metamorphism

This episode explores the concepts of regional versus contact metamorphism. Heat and pressure are discussed and their roles in changing various rock types into metamorphic rock varieties. Contact metamorphism is discussed and demonstrated using a torch and marshmallow, and regional metamorphism is discussed using lasagna and examples of metamorphic rocks.