A wonderful interview with Alton Brown reveals that he never intended to be the host of his show. He was just going to write and direct it. He was close to signing a deal with Discovery Channel when a Food Network exec caught snippets of his filmed pilot on the Eastman Kodak website. Although Food Network had passed on Good Eats at first, this twist of web surfing fate landed Alton Brown a deal as the network’s first commissioned show. (via Medley and Faz)

With the minor avalanche of new concert venues opening in the past year or so, I have to wonder over how a booming economy creates new symphony halls which are built in the ensuing years, only to open after the boom has gone bust, ready to cheer up a down economy. The Detroit Symphony is the latest to enjoy the fruits of the late 1990s with the new Max M. Fisher Music Center opening this week. As the Associated Press puts it, it’s “a venue to match its reputation.” They could have also added the word “finally” to that statement, as the Symphony and its audience have suffered long years with inadequate facilities and climate control. The Center is Phase Two of a three part, $220 million project to revitalize the neighborhood around the hall. Next up is a building to house the Detroit High School for the Fine, Performing and Communication Arts.

Workers from a myriad of cultures continue the work on Steinway No. K0862 as the N.Y. Times continues its series on the creation of this one piano. Woodworkers build out the rim and arms like the fine piece of furniture that it actually is. The braces inside the case and the keybed are specially fitted. A former auto-body shop worker sprays on multiple coats of lacquer and a former parking attendant carefully applies the distinctive Steinway & Sons gold decals.

Singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb and her partner Dweezil Zappa approached Food Network to promote her album “Cake and Pie” and ended up with a television show of their very own. On tour to support the album, the couple had a friend come up on stage to make a pie during the concerts, which was then served to audience members. Food Network decided a show about the couple’s lives would be of interest. Their Food TV show will not be a cooking show exactly, but will follow Loeb and Zappa trying out restaurants while traveling and at home. It is scheduled to air in January.

My favorite photo of last week was the underwater view of baby hippo Jazi being nudged by her mom at the San Diego Zoo. Hippopotamuses are usually born underwater and also nurse underwater, quickly learning when to hold their breath and come up for air. (And no, I don’t want one for Christmas. [(lyrics w/audio])

I haven’t even thought about a Halloween costume yet and the Christmas catalogs are starting to hit the mailbox. Neiman Marcus will not be burdening our mailperson, but their 2003 Christmas Book is ready with its over-the-top suggestions for those who are feeling particularly magnanimous this holiday season. Perhaps you’ve always wanted your very own ice fishing house? Their model is hand-built for you, insulated, and heated. For the couple that has everything or who can’t train their dog to do anything worthwhile, how about His & Hers multifunction robots (at $400,000 you’d think they’d be smart enough to plug themselves in when they run out of juice). For the art collectors, there’s an environmental art installation (but I think you have to provide the half acre of land to put it on) and a strange device that projects butterflies that interact with your shadows. And if you haven’t figured out what to do about Halloween either, perhaps you can put a rush order in for the personally fitted mermaid suit. It comes with swimming lessons.

Vancouver Day Trip

Last weekend our friend, Jack, introduced us to the wonders of Vancouver, Canada with a nicely planned one day trip. We headed out at 9am and were back almost twelve hours later. It’s a 2.5 hour drive, minus any border crossing wait time. We had no trouble at the borders and made great time on our drives. Our first stop was actually Richmond and the Yaohan Centre’s Asian food court for yummy Chinese street food. I had a preserved duck leg and most of the very fresh tofu that came in my husband’s noodle dish.

Next we drove to Granville Island and perused its Public Market with grocers, bakers, butchers, and crafts. We picked up baked goods at Terra Breads and gathered cheese and deli meats for lunch. After browsing the stands and taking a quick ramble outside, we drove over to park on Beach Avenue and walked down the paths at English Bay Beach towards Stanley Park.

It was a gorgeous, perfect day and plenty of boats and sunbathers were out. We ate our Granville Island lunch on a bench surrounded by genuine Canadian geese. At the beach we observed the patient handiwork of rock balancing artists. Then we drove to Robson Street, the tourist shopping mecca. I stopped in Lush to smell all the soaps and to see with my own eyes how huge those bath bombs are. We browsed for a while at the Virgin Megastore where I purchased the aforementioned Bowie CD.

Then we drove a short distance to admire the architecture of the Vancouver Library, which is shaped like the Roman Coliseum. Someone had apparently told them we were coming because they were having a Book & Magazine Fair. Hooray!

As evening approached we headed to Yaletown for dinner at Glowbal Grill & Satay Bar. We started with a platter of their satays. I had a spinach salad with oranges (not the advertised blood oranges though), candied walnuts, and shaved fennel. I decided on another starter, Dungeness crab and shrimp cakes, for my entree. For dessert I had an individually-sized tart which tasted like a tiny pecan pie with none of the flavor of the advertised poached pear. We headed home, very full, and declared our “two CDs and a loaf of bread” at the border.

From the Useless Information website, gaze upon the wonder of a violin made entirely out of matchsticks. Jack Hall began a matchstick construction hobby while bored as a sailor. He ultimately created thirteen musical instruments. Their sound was reported as surprisingly good. He also made cases for the instruments out of, appropriately enough, matchboxes.

The N.Y. Times’ Online Shopper unearths a wave of nostalgia this week with Girl Scout uniform reminiscences. In this casual age, many Girl Scout troops don’t even require uniforms, but any official wear that is deemed necessary may be ordered online from the Girl Scout site and J.C. Penney’s. Back not too long ago, acquiring a uniform involved, for many of us, a special trip to an authorized retailer many towns away. There in a corner of the store would be their limited selection of official Girl Scout dresses, jumpers, shirts, socks, beanies, and sashes. Sometimes there would be a display of insignia accessories too, headbands, purses, belts, and earrings. You had to browse the printed catalog to see all the available products though. As the article mentions, white gloves were de rigueur for parades and ceremonies, especially if you were part of the color guard. By the way, they still have Brownie beanies ($5.75 in rayon/wool felt).

Did you read the story about the California cat who was returned to its owner after ten years? It reminded me to submit an update for our cat’s microchip contact information.