Bruce's Smorsasborg

 By Bruce Shawkey Of all the electronic organs, the Hammond B3 paired with the Leslie speaker is arguably the most famous. There were many varieties of the Hammond organ, but the most popular variety, and the one still commonly used today (if you can find one that isn’t too beat up) is the Hammond B-3. This organ has two 61 note keyboards, a variety of built-in special effects, (including "percussion" effects, several different chorus and vibrato effects, and adjustable attack and decay effects), 9 preset keys for both manuals, (the inversely white and black keys on the bottom octave of each manual), two sets of nine stops (drawbars) for each manual, a full two octave set of foot pedals with two pedal drawbars built in to the console, a volume pedal (expression pedal) built into the base, a solid walnut body with 4 legs and base, a built-in stool, and it weighs at over 400 pounds. Also, it needed to be run through a separate speaker called a Leslie, which also came in many va...

 By Bruce Shawkey There have been hundreds and perhaps thousands of books written over the years and decades about cats. But perhaps none so exhaustive than "The Book of the Cat" with 422 published in 1903 and authored by Frances Simpson, (ca. 1857 – 1926) an English writer, journalist, cat show judge, and cat breeder. The book chronicles the love of cats, from ancient Egyptian times to then current day. She was a fervent supporter of blue Persians. Here are a few pages from her book.

By Bruce Shawkey The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by the Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is generally regarded as the first mass-affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class Americans. The relatively low price was partly the result of Ford's efficient fabrication, including assembly line production instead of individual handcrafting. The savings from mass production allowed the price to decline from $780 in 1910 (equivalent to $26,322 in 2024) to $290 in 1924 ($5,321 in 2024 dollars. The Model T was colloquially known as the "Tin Lizzie". The Ford Model T was named the most influential car of the 20th century. Ford's Model T was successful not only because it provided inexpensive transportation on a massive scale, but also because the car signified innovation for the rising middle class and became a powerful symbol of the United States' age of modernization.With over 15 million sold, it was ...

 Hey everyone! Well, this bitch of a winter has really put a damper on my road trips in search of Bargains and Binges. But trips to Aldi grocery stores are a fairly regular occurrence for me, regardless of the weather. So I'm reporting my latest trip there, and revealing how Aldi is an essential component of the "Bargains" part of my lifestyle. I shop mostly at the Aldi store in Janesville, Wis., but have also shopped at the Madison West store (by Watts Road and Highway M), and the one in Monroe. The Aldi store in Janesville, WI For those who aren't familiar with Aldi, they are owned by a German company, which also owns the Trader Joe's grocery chain. Which is sort of an odd combination since TJ's is an upscale grocer, while Aldi is a discount, no frills operation. In fact, if you haven't shopped at Aldi, you may be in for a little culture shock. First, you pay 25 cents to use a shopping cart, and get the quarter back when you return the cart to the queue ...

 If you are old enough to remember when just about every neighborhood had a butcher shop (or meat market), then you know they are a disappearing enterprise. What a pity. Shopping for meat today in a supermarket is about as personal experience as going through airport security. Fortunately, we in southern Wisconsin are blessed with several fantastic meat markets and sausage factories (oftentimes both on the same premises!), where the person behind the counter is versed in the subtleties of beef, pork, lamb, and veal. Who knows the difference between Kalberwurst and Knockwurst and are happy to tell you. Where you can have your steak or roast cut the way you want it. And, if it's not too busy, exchange a little chit-chat about the weather, where you're from, or -- the perennial favorite -- how the Packers are doing. I was in New Glarus the other day, and this little town of about 2,200 permanent residents, is blessed with not one, but two meat markets/sausage manufacturers, Ruef...

 My recent B&B adventure along the Watertown Loop found me at Bismarck's (yes, with a "ck") Main Street Bar & Grill for lunch. This is a favorite spot of mine, and one that was found quite by accident while looking for a pizza place in downtown Watertown a couple of years ago with my friend, Amy. Sometimes, these "stumble-upon" places turn out to the best, though I've certainly encountered my share of duds along the way, too. I'm sure they have many other tasty things on the menu, but my absolute "go-to" item is their prime rib sandwich. Unlike the usual "sliced-thin-piled-high" varieties (and sometimes piled low) this place serves a single, artery-choking 8-ounce-plus slab of prime rib on a bakery hoagie bun (no "Wonder-rolls" here). The sandwich must either be cut in half, or handled with two hands, with feet and arms inside the booth at all times. The chef cuts the slab off of a roast that has already been cooked,...