Pick-A-Day

March 2024
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031

Archives

Weekend in Vienna

In July, I decided that I needed to plan a weekend in Vienna in order to, uh… escape the heat of my apartment for an air conditioned hotel room in Vienna. Yup, I specifically sought out air conditioning in Vienna and I appreciated it. The dates were set: the last weekend in August would be […]

I am not a Hoosier.

I’m fresh back from a trip to the USA, where paranoia about Covid is on a whole different level from Germany. Excluding Monroe County, Indiana, only three shops enforced a mask mandate: REI Fort Collins, REI Denver, and an art gallery on the court house square in Spencer, Indiana.

In some shops I was the […]

Whatchamacallit 181: Native Timbers of New Zealand (Ruler!)

I’ve visited New Zealand twice. Once.

Both visits were part of my 2015 around the world adventure – before and after Samoa and American Samoa. It depends how you count “visit” – the first was 7 hours, the second was 25.5 hours. I could look it up, but I am too lazy to do […]

Whatchamacallit 174: My Panama hat, bought in Ecuador

This is an expensive hat: I bought it in the country that is home to Panama hats, Ecuador.

If my geography is correct – and the store has continuity of ownership, I bought it at EBD Carmal Hats – Casa del Sombrero on my last morning in Quito, just before heading to Panama, where […]

Whatchamacallit 168: Charles Rennie Mackintosh Ring

I’ve previously noted that I am not really a jewelry person – and so here is the only ring that I own.

Although I rarely wear it, I love it: it is a Charles Rennie Mackintosh Ring by Shetland Jewellery. I bought it on June 1, 2013, paying £739.00. It had to be custom […]

Whatchamacallit 162: Boys, Be Ambitious

My last big, fun, international trip was to Japan, which I mentioned in Whatchamacallit 85: Japanese Vase – there I talked about Okinawa, which was pleasantly warm and sunny.

At the other end of Japan I visited the Sapporo Snow Festival – where temperatures were decided cold, with weather ranging from sunny and extra […]

Whatchamacallit 151: molinillo

Back in December 2018, I spent a week in Bogota, arriving on December 24th, departing on December 31st.

It was an extraordinarily nice, low key, vacation – including a graffiti tour on Christmas Day, a food tour, a post-conflict tour, and a trip out to view the countryside.

Really, it was generally fantastic.

The […]

Whatchamacallit 150: Wagon Wheel Bolo Tie by Craig Lamy

I bought this particular bolo tie on August 12, 2017 – so just over three years ago.

My receipt, from Keshi, states:

Sterling Silver + mother-of-pearl, jet, turquoise, coral, lapis w/ leather cord.. Wagon wheel bolo tie

By Craig Lamy = Zuni artist=

It cost 600.00, plus 49.88 in taxes; […]

Whatchamacallit 147: Sony WH-1000XM3

Last year, after dumping my iPhone, I was suddenly in the market for a new noise canceling headphone that would (a) work with Bluetooth and (b) really work well. Compactness was desired.

After looking at the Bose and Sony offerings, I decided to go for the Sony WH-1000XM3 – a name that really rolls […]

Whatchamacallit 146: Apple Crumble by Moonshine Creek

Last September I spent a week in Quebec: I flew to Montreal, rented a car, slept off jetlag, then drove north – but while I tend to think of the vacation as being in Quebec, the fact remains that I spent my second night in Campbellton, New Brunswick.

Whilst there, I did a little […]