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Tuesday probably passed without you even noticing, but it was a day of serious memorial. Though I’ve slowed in recent weeks (decreased my vargocity) I am proud to announce that we’ve made it through an entire year of blogging here at Vargocity. To celebrate, I urge you to go back to some of the first posts and (re)read them.

In the past year I got 93 posts up and hope to do more in the coming year. There are always new things happening around me and plenty of good material. You, the reader are an important part of my motivation and the site’s continuation. Thank you for your attention and I hope you will keep coming back for more.

After spending some time with the new feature of Blogger, Blogger Play, I realized that there are a number of artists out there who post their work (sometimes daily) for others to see and respond to. Blogger Play is basically a slideshow which scrolls through photos recently posted to blogger blogs. Having recently been motivated (read bored) to use some the art supplies that lie dormant in our spare room, I thought I would share with you my latest work. It came to being last Friday and is a combination of oils and pastels on canvas panel (12″*16″). It is for sale, you name the price, and is titled “Toxicology” in honor of the opportunity cost of undertaking such a work.

Blogger Play

I have been away for awhile; packing up life in Colombia, returning to the US, celebrating my one year anniversary of being married, attending another wedding, starting school – a number of things have happened.

Lauren made it out to Bogotá on August 23 and we headed the next day to Santa Marta on the coast. It was a vacation for both of us and a throw back to our trip a year before when we visited a national park on the coast (of Maine). It was a bit of a hike to get there. We took a taxi to the city center, asked a few questions of the park service office, and then trekked through a massive urban market, including their meat (non-refrigerated) section. Along the way we picked up a hammock which served us well. Once you reach the far end of the market (corner of 11CL. & 11CR.) you can find a bus that you take for an hour to the park entrance and then you can board another vehicle, for a ten minute ride into the park. From there you can walk to the beaches and find somewhere to stay. We choose Arrecifes and walked to various other spots around the park from there over the next few days.

The place where we stayed was relaxed and quiet but the currents made the immediate waters dangerous. We hiked to other, more remote beaches daily. There we enjoyed pristine beaches without interference of crowds, nosey vendors, or nearby urban noise. We even carted around our new hammock and set it up when we found the chance.

One day we hiked to some ruins in the jungle of the park. The path consisted of huge boulders and notched logs and there were several points where a slip would have landed one of us in a crevice too deep to spend more time thinking about. The weather turned once we arrived at the village and we took refuge under the roof of the few indigenous people who are there during the days. The rain continued to fall until the a river had formed blocking the way we had come in. A National Park employee also showed up to check some books and offered to show us (and another couple) out along a safer route.

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf
We concluded the trip at the condo of a friend located just outside of Santa Marta, on a beach called Bello Horizonte. Thanks to Jorge and Andrea for making that happen.

Obviously time abroad is going to be a learning experience and hopefully not just for me but for the people I come into contact with and maybe, just maybe, for both the countries as a whole. That is why I have been compiling this list of the things that Bogotá (Colombia) and Atlanta, or any other city, (US) can learn from each other. These are the things that exist in one place, lack in the other and in some cases represent business opportunities for adventurous parties in either place.

1. I mentioned before that have been playing soccer here at a place called Futbol Cinco, an old building converted to accommodate two floors of mini indoor soccer fields. This type of sports arena scaled-down to fit indoors is the perfect compliment to the LA Fitnesses that are packed every night. Sure, the YMCA is open and the local Rec Center but putting it in a sexy glass building and making people pay for it is what could make this sort of thing cool.

2. I do not usually like to write about food but there are, of course, some differences between Colombian cuisine and typical American fare. But, to be honest, the most obvious difference are foods. Maybe it’s because it touches so many of the senses or because you encounter it everyday. In these culinary differences are a few gems from one which could easily find a home among the staples of the other. Ironically, the first thing that I think Colombia could contribute is the crepe. I had always associated the crepe with fruit, sweet, breakfast, dessert, but that does not have to be the case. One of the most prominent chain of restaurants here is called Crepes & Waffles. They serve all types of crepes that serve as lunch and dinner plates, including a hindu chicken curry crepe.

Regardless of whether or not this is the way crepes are everywhere, the fact stands that these type of places are hard to come by in Atlanta and much of the US. Why? The food is good, it’s fast, you can make it healthier with tons of vegetables and probably add a whole grain crepe. Look for it coming soon.

3. I think this goes without saying but I am going to say it. One of the best (and possibly worst) parts of traveling to a place like this is the street food. It’s cheap, impulsive and sometimes delicious (sometimes it can make you sick). Of course, in the US people are walking down the street too much and that makes street food difficult. But you can’t even find this type of thing at Piedmont Park on a crowded day. Outside (and inside) of the parks here there are mobile ice cream vendors and people grilling. I guess we probably have rules about selling, but rules don’t always have to outlaw something they could just define the acceptable characteristics of the action to fit into society. Anyway, here they have this amazing corn that they grill and sell. The kernels are huge and come right off the cob. Every time you eat it, you end up with this perfectly picked cob at the end.

4. Let me continue this food rant by saying American burritos should be everywhere. It’s almost like a crepe, except it’s the biggest crepe ever and you can eat it with your hands. In San Francisco, the Mission burrito is a tourist attraction. In part because of tradition but I can’t help but think that it’s also due to some other factors beyond the taste. The complexity on the inside is perfectly contrasted by the simplicity outside.

5. The next things that these countries can learn from each other is about bicycles. Granted, the US could learn a lot about bikes from any number of countries but the way that Colombia has laid down cycling infrastructure sets an example that a lot of other places could follow. As Penalosa likes to say, they’ve created things for which where were not words. The Ciclovia has been going on for nearly 30 years and is only mildly impressive until you realize that it happens once a week, more if there are holidays. During this event streets (at least in one direction) are closed (some completely) from 7AM through 2PM. This brings out joggers and skaters, but especially, cyclists to cruise the city free of traffic, and the regular (extreme) pollution. They can sail up and down the city’s main thoroughfares and go all the way from north to south, east to west.

Even when Ciclovia is not going on, people can take the ciclorutas and cross the autopistas with the help of ciclopuentes. These dedicated bike lanes line the sidewalks and medians of some of the busiest avenues for cars. This is probably less than pleasant during rush hour, but I took a bit of the network from a friend’s house last week, via rollerblade. We covered about 50 blocks in about an hour and a half, stopping to chill out in a park along the way and waiting for traffic at some busy intersections. All in all it was a very enjoyable journey. It was a great way to see some of this investment by the city and also to get a feel for what its use is like. It seemed to me that it was much like a highway for bikes and skaters. It was a bit late at night but people were not out for leisurely riding. It had the feel of a commute, and indeed our trip was utilitarian. But as they line the main roads I realized that these ciclorutas must function much like the main roads themselves during the week, and in that way they really do make the bicycle more legitimate as a mode of transportation for real trips.

All that said, there is one thing that Bogotá Bikers can learn, though not necessarily from Americans or Atlantans. They need lights. Nobody has them and they desperately need them. In a local bike shop I saw less then 5 total on the shelves and it was not because they were top sellers. 2 of the lights were heavy duty with huge batteries for mountain biking I assume. However, bikers here do often wear a reflective vest, but drivers sometimes don’t use lights.

6. Bus Rapid Transit. I’m talking right at Atlanta and MARTA here. Use the buses you already have (which are too large) and put them on isolated routes that operate like trains, but with greater frequency then the trains you already have. Buy smaller buses, like El Rey on Buford highway, to operate your feeder lines. In fact Buford highway could be a great place to start. Get a median in there, with stations, some pedestrian bridges. It would look like Cr. 30/Autopista Norte here. It could work, look into it.

Bus Rapid Transit
Crepes y Waffles
Photo Exposition on Bogotá’s Bikeways
Mission Burrito

I have been working and walking around this University now for over a month but this week something happened. The students returned from their summer vacations and began classes. But that is not really why I began this post in the first place, the idea for this began the first day I spent on the grounds. My roommate Adriana gave me a tour and took me for coffee at a little stand outside of an old church, the church (it turns out) is actually the architecture library and is renovated in an impressive fashion.

The University is not that old, maybe about 60. However, it is unique as it is independent of both the church and the state. They attracted impressive faculty who I assume win grants and money for studies, but I can’t help but think that the obviously wealthy student body doesn’t hurt. The president’s son studies chemical engineering here and you can notice his presence by the heightening of the already tight security. Everyone working or studying on campus has an id, which they use to pass through turnstile gates for entry. Also the perimeter is patrolled by private security including large dogs. In any case it’s a beautiful and interesting place to work and study.

Overall the design and location of the University is impressive. It sits at the foot of the mountains (or hills depending on your perspective, but coming from Atlanta they’re mountains) which border the city to the East. This creates a series different levels to the buildings and an uncountable number of steps as the campus climbs up the side of Mont Serrate. This produces a number of incredible views of the city and has also preserved a number of trees from the high Andean forest. The gym and track where I run sits almost alone another 300m up the mountain and reclaimed from a landfill. At first the layout can be a bit confusing but once you know the shortcuts the solitude of the buildings from one another is refreshing.

This week also marked the opening of another impressive, though not restored, building. This building is going to house their renowned engineering department. Though it’s style and location are a far cry from the creativity and historical preservation of the architecture library, it is an impressive building. I especially like the outdoor seating on the different terraces (shown in the picture). It’s not that the current engineering building is anything to scoff at, I walk through it everyday and am always impressed with the skylights above which bathe the halls and staircases (and also an area of grey rocks directly behind the urinals of the men’s bathroom that looks like a Japanese garden). I also enjoy the subtle wood touches on the work here. Popularly hailed for its use in steering wheels and interior detailing of cars, wood also makes wonderful doors and bridges.
Complete Set of Photos
University of Andes

Recently, I’ve been re-turned-on to the Lupe Fiasco Food & Liquor album. If you know that album, you probably know the last track, Outro. It’s a 12 minute shout out to all those who made him what he is, got him to where he is, influenced him in some way. And he is not alone, artists have used their albums, both tracks and booklets, as opportunities to say thank you (and &$!# you) to many people. People also call in to radio stations all the time just to say their friends names on the air. Oscar acceptance speeches get cut short because people want say too many thank you. But it’s not just people; you only need to listen to about three rap songs before you get to a song that rattles off US cities, or area codes, or airport abbreviations to let you know the places they’re sending their love. It got me thinking what would my shout out be.

I wanna use nicknames, be as esoteric as a can be, I want a dope beat, I wanna shout old street names and I wanna make people feel special when they hear their city or name. Though I know I have enough people to thank, places to verbally visit, and influences to cite that I should be able to lay down a track but I always have trouble picturing it coming out some fluidly. I was about to start to write a blurb of thanks but where to begin. Can you start it without slighting someone? Does the order matter? Chronological? Alphabetical? What if you forget someone? But the people who should be included in any list of mine would not want me to hide behind fears such as these.

The Original JV’s for making it all possible. L-boogie for expanding the possibilities. Those leading way; Holland’s finest, the hen of the Roost, Garlic Grandad and my Kifli Queen. Jennie Jr. Branch 2, preach! Uncs in Decatuville. My pitcrew leader, Steve. Konczer, Suzy-Q and all the K-zee-zees. Cedar Point to Vegas. Folks lounging in SB, Chad and Damann. St. Francis, Gema, Mario, Madrid Mafia. Imperial-izeri, Matt ‘Twin Falls’ Gillis. Amy, Pat, Lisa, Critical Mass, Byron, ATL pot hole crew. Bru, the Rud, Open Air Transmissions, Jon Whitaker, The Middle Men, Hog Operation Melsesse and the STA drumline, Denny & Randy cruisin with two brakes. J-hedge, J-Free, J-Feez, Jim Skura and Jerry D, the early J-dilla. Smells Like Karma Police and Killer Potatoes. CSG and all the OSC, Asad, Student Government, NHS, Rotary Club Decatur players, IceHouse, BGhs, John, Shannon, Bodhito. Papa Boner, tha Bhoplaya, Edgar. Ponce Place, hold it down. Migrizzle, Baby-D, Chernoff, LPS, Jeff-O, K-weezy, Omar Sharif, Kristof. Tha Wu, Jeff Foucault, Boards of Canada, Orbital, Slide Hampton. Tonkin Bay down to Saigon – Pham Ngu Lao, Bui Vien and Phuong Huang. Much love from tay ba lo, cu teo. St. Pius, and Trenton travelin’. Big ups to TC, Tom Senior and the Maltese Matriarch. Brickstore, JavaMonkey, DSC keep doin’ what you’re doin’. Ajay, my sharona, P-trak, SCOPE Town & Country. Return to get some Kulcher back in the Shelter of Fordline. Vinay, Trish, and Billy Barnes, T-Koons, J-Bud, Mike MacBride, all my EAGLES, Saluto and Dunaway. Rocking lunch with Vanstinkus, K. Wright, Sertage, and Plunkett. Mr. Long. Juan Felipe, Jorge, Caro, Desiy Mazy, Cazu, everyone keeping the BOG wet.
Akzo Nobel, Nelson Miller Parkway to Hong Kong. Dave and Liza. Jesse, Allsion, Martling. La Septima, Casa de Babylon, runnin the Chapinero, Futbol Cinco and Germania. Paul, Leah, Mark. Christmas Pageants. FAMO, Tony, Christina, Daisy, Phuc, Chip Chip, my Tet familia. Uptown Jon, Muna and Rhysito, Garden Groove to Chinatown. Raul and O’Bradiviches, Bluegrass, much love, Woody and Grits. 540 Packard, Michael, Bilskar, Carp, Gill, Mikey, Davis in the Annex, Freeman the honorary, and the guy that lived with Davis. Olga Lucia, FES Luis Fernando, UniAndes, Mike & Tom, CQGRD, CDC, GTMCRP, RSPH, GH, GEH, EOH. Biggie & Pac, much love to both coasts. Paul & Hil, the most engaging duo. The Spindlers, Howard – Mr. Belvedere. Carps of the Bay. Pac Heights. Woodlawn. Back up north for fond memories yet to happen. Duke V, do your thing. Van An, Hang. Quan mot represent, di choi. G-raffe, Bon-Scott, tanrthanU, Li-dizzy, Cherokee Triangle, Bardstown Rd. Cahoots, burritos as big as your head, cafes on the world, and TARC.

Once you start going, it’s easier than you think. You can even get carried away. I made sure that I put the most important people first. There’s not really anyway to say enough about them so I made sure that I made some conscience decision to put them first. Then I went through places and phases of my life and then shuffled the whole order. Than you start to think about who you’re leaving out and more come to mind, but you can’t keep going like that forever. If you feel left out I apologize. Give me a comment and I will amend it. Anyway, I encourage you to take this chance to make your own shout out. Feel free to use the comment space to send your love out to whomever is deserving.

Before I left I told people to stay tuned to the blog for updates on how things are going, what I’m up to, and new signs, etc. It seems that some of you are checking in on me and even leaving commets!!!!. Perhaps you’re new to the blog or just trying to get up to speed (aka vargocity). As such I’ve tried to add some features that you should be aware of.

Comments: AS I said I have been recieving more comments lately and also responding to them. Unfortunately I do not know of a way to notify you that your comment has been noted and a retort submitted. I will be looking in to this.

Visitor Info: This is found in the banner to the right of the posts. By clicking on the see who’s looking at this link, you can see where people are visiting from, and when. Only the last 20. I’m looking for better options. The Lovehardsteins told me that Sitemeter is better and I’m starting to believe them. If I change there will be a link in the same place on the right.

Labels: I recently went through my posts and relabeled all of them. At the end of each posts and perhaps soon in the righthand banner you can find these labels and by clicking on them you can be swept away to all the posts with the same labels. If you’re new to the sit and to me then this could be a great way to catch up on old posts that you missed.

Widget: Mac users can download a Vargocity widget for Dashboard. It doesn’t do much except give you a behind the scenes way to keep up and make you computer much much cooler. You’ll have the widget that nobody else has, or has even heard of.

More: There are also Favorite Posts and my running profile, which are both on probation. We’ll see if they last. If you go to check out my running history (and are not immediate family) you may be way too interested in me.

While I am faltering in comparison to the Army of Park Slope stay-at-home authors who come up with all sorts of coolness in their spare time (I’m working on incorporating outside.in), I am putting in some effort. I hope you enjoy and recipricate.

Last week this article on commuting, and featuring Atlanta, came out in the New Yorker. For me, commuting is a common topic of conversation. It’s easy to discuss and nearly everyone can contribute something to the conversation while still talking about themselves. And if you really like to talk about commutes, find a room full of city planners.

This article describes some of the attention we pay to the smallest aspects of our commutes. I, for example am one of those people who thinks about which end of train will allow me fastest access to my next connection, and I’m an escalator walker. On a bike you come to know the segments of the commute in a much more visceral way. From light to light you come to know and expect the tinge of a certain amount of lactic acid. It’s a good day when you make it from door to door without your feet touching the ground.

The article talks about the personal emotional economics of commuting, if that makes sense. It also points out some of the good and bad of commuting in how society is affected.

Give it a read, and if this link doesn’t work, email me for a copy.

Friday morning I did something I have been meaning to do for a while. My dad and I drove around Detroit and hit a few neighborhoods, including the one where he grew up, Del Ray. There is not much left of that neighborhood. My dad’s old house is one of only two left on the entire block. He lived there until he was 11 and his dad, my grandfather, worked just down the street at Zug Island. I think it’s a steel plant and it’s still in operation. My grandpa used to walk to work past the tar factory right behind their house. The tar factory has since burned down. All of this is about two or three blocks from the main road that is filled with buildings that look abandoned, but there are still bus stops and a few people waiting for a ride to somewhere. The whole thing was made more eerie by the fog that would not lift from the city. On the other side of the main road there was more of a traditional neighborhood centered around a very nice church where services were held in Hungarian.

We also made a pass by the old train station. It is a stunning piece of architecture and a great example of how unwilling investors are to go downtown. I saw it featured once in an issue of Metropolis and have since learned that Mayor Kilpatrick of Detroit announced that it would be redeveloped as the police headquarters. It’s anybody’s guest as to the number of homeless and drug-addicted it has housed over the years. I suspect it was also the point of entry (to Detroit at least) for thousands of immigrants. There is history everywhere like that in Detroit. There are so many old, and what would in other cities be considered cool and marketable, buildings in Detroit, but none get touched. They are not even torn down because the land they stand on is not worth developing. It is a very interesting place and I will have to look into the planning that is going on there and see if there are opportunities. It would be a fascinating place to work.

We drove around the city some more and went to Hamtramck (a neighborhood I have been wanting to see for some time). It is a Polish mainstay of the city and what many refer to as the City within the City. There is a lot of street activity, houses are well kept and the population is diverse. Shop signs can be found in English, Polish, Arabic to name a few. We stopped in to a Polish bakery and picked up some pastries and then walked down the street, grabbed a coffee at a coney island diner, some socks at a new dollar store and headed on our way.

It was cool to see the city that I have been asked about so many times in planning classes from the inside rather than the outside.

If you haven’t followed the Muttonchops4all link on the sidebar of this blog, you should. It’s the blog of my buddy Jeff Roth who is tapped way into the world of the weird that can be discovered on the internet. He finds funny things that you never knew existed so that you don’t have to. He’s so ‘logged-on’ that he can probably even tell you a site that’s better than his blog for finding such things.

For a good example see this post.