Saturday's Painting

Untitled (Field of Bluebonnets)
by Julian Onderdonk

from a Dallas Musuem of Art exhibit

On Writing.

I remember when I thought I had learned how to play chess. I was about 10. I had been taught how and how far each chess piece moved on the board. I had learned only the first rules and the objective, but in my mind I knew how to play chess. Today, I still can't play past the elementary level.

The same is true when I learned how to play a few chords on the guitar. I was older and smart enough to know that a few guitar strums a player doesn't make, but was still surprised how difficult it was to master. I never did. I knew what sound I wanted to make, getting there took more time than I wanted to give.

Writing is like that. We all write things down, in lists, email, and memos, and sometimes even a handwritten letter. It intrigues me how difficult it is to do it well. I read an essay last week, maybe 1500 words, and it was like listening to rain fall in the natural way the words formed ideas in sentence and paragraph. The writer had made it look easy. It isn't.

Like a musician, I have a sound in mind I want to imitate, but it is as difficult to write well as it is to play the guitar well. Writing, like many things in life, is easy to learn and hard to master.

More Restaurants: Small and Good.

I love the small, owner-operated eatery. I don't care if it's pizza, Chinese, Mexican, barbecue or burgers. If I see a truck pulled over on the side of the road smoking ribs, I'm tempted to stop and often do. There are no fancy surroundings, artwork, or owner's BMW's included in the cost of these meals.

I had been thinking about asking readers to send in their favorite no-chain, locally owned, taco truck or corner restaurant. Then Jake offered a suggestion that Meli's is his favorite Mexican corner restaurant. My favorite has been the taco truck on 8th at the now abandoned Carnival. I seem to remember Rambler suggesting that there is some good food outside the Fiesta, a little ways south.

Please send me your favorites. I will post them in a list format and visit them.

One of my favorite little places is Boogie burger on Lancaster. Love that place.

Submission requirements:
1. Owner must be directly involved in the food preparation or service.
2. The building in which food service takes place must be a truck, strip shopping center, old gas station, or abandoned Burger King.
3. Menu must be limited in cuisine. No combo Chinese-Italian-Mexican cafeteria style joints.
4. At least one child of owner should be sitting at a table doing homework or playing a Gameboy.
5. One television is allowed in establishment, no flatscreens, and television should be showing soap operas or soccer, preferably not in English.
6. Most importantly, food must be fresh, taste good, and the cost should be reasonable.
(7. Not a requirement, but is preferred that the nationality of the owner match the kind of cuisine).

Editors Note: Old DQ's, Pizza Inn's, Fried Chicken franchises, and the like are all in the letter and spirit of the requirements. The requirements are not meant for literal interpretation (obviously) but are meant to convey the idea of sole proprietorship, originality and love of the end product, which is good food, and then happy customers.