Chicago - China Town (Set 1)

This past weekend, I visited a place in Chicago I was unaware of. Imagine living "right next door" to Chicago and never having heard of the China Town district. I always thought it was a New York State exclusive. Now I'm finding many other states have similar communities. I suppose it makes sense, there is a large Asian population in the United States now. Following are a few more photos I took while in China Town. Hope you enjoy them.

Questions:
Which is your favourite photo?
Have you ever visited a China Town?
Ever been pleasantly surprised by a new discovery in your own home town or neighbouring city?

China Town - Not too far from the Willis Tower

One of the streets in China Town

Aji Ichiban - A well known sweet shop chain from Hong Kong with a Japanese sounding name.

At different times throughout the year, various street musicians play.

Another view of the street from an upper level.

Visit TBaar for the best Bubble Tea in town.

The largest selection of K-Pop I have ever seen can be found here.

Horsing Around

Meet Lando. He's a silly horse.

My friend Kate is the proud owner.

Lando begs for treats by sticking out his tongue.

This was my friend Doe Do's first time visiting a horse.

Lando checks me out while I take his photo.

Kate & Doe Do posing with Lando. He loves the attention.

I promised Kate I would come and take photos of her and Lando.

A girl and her horse. Riding off into the sunset.

Doe Do was eager to visit the horse so Kate invited her along.

Doe Do spends time with Lando while Kate does chores.

The visit is over. Kate and Doe Do say goodbye.

I, of course, had to take an artsy photo while I was there.

The moon rises as we leave. Good night Lando. See you next time.

Additional Questions:
What & how many pets do you own?
How did they get their names?
Is the name random or a namesake?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Bonus Material

Lando's Namesake

I've been promising Kate for awhile I would come take photos of her and Lando. It was a bit cold out, but we decided a few snow pictures would be neat. In Summer, I'll be back to take a few more photos of her and Lando.

It was also cool to see my other friend get her wish of visiting Lando. Its' something not many people in the city get to do. Doe Do was overjoyed and Kate was happy to introduce the two.

(To Be Continued This Summer)

Jeffrey Scott's - Best of the Blog - 2015

It's time for my seventh annual Best of the Blog, blog post. What a year 2015 turned out to be. I started to get serious in my creative writing and my blogging. It started in January when I continued the formula I started in 2014 with each week writing a rant entry and finishing the week with a poem. I continued this into February, but I started to get determined about my creative writing.

I began rewriting my old Writers Block series and editing was a key factor. While doing research for my article, I found fellow blogger Chrys, who had some great tips on writing and editing. As I started to follow her blog, I got interested in the blog hop A-Z. So in April I started to blog a new r.a.n.t. ever day, each day starting with a new letter of the alphabet. I met more great bloggers and soon became involved in FAE & Stephen's Battle of the Blog. Back in the day, music was a big part of this blog, and so it was again.

Most recently, I realized I needed to get back (once again) to my creative writing. So I joined the Insecure Writers Support Group, founded by Alex. I've really just gotten started in this and still trying to find my footing, but I'm hoping the continual support will motivate me in 2016 to get even more of my creative writing done. What will I accomplish this next year? You'll have to stay tuned to find out. In the meanwhile, please peruse this blog post. It'll give you a sampling of what you'll find at this site on a regular basis.

Thanks to all of you! Every single one of you who have come to read, and decided to stick around. I appreciate those who continually support me, my blog and all of my writings. Did you have a favourite blog post of mine this past year? Why not share.

As always, leave a comment, share on your social media page, "like" it or just email me with your thoughts. I'm always looking for input, always looking for people who are willing to guest blog and always willing to post run on sentences. Thanks for reading. I truly hope you enjoy what you find here.


January
Photography
Out for a Drive - Took photos on a trip to Chicago and a Dinosaur exhibit.
Poetry
Into the Future - Poem based on a popular film.
R.A.N.T.
Your Video is Overdue - When borrowed items are not returned.
Guest Blogger
(Jennifer Long) Guess Who's Coming to Dinner - I chat with an old friend about RSVP etiquette.

February
R.A.N.T.
R.A.N.T. About A Lot of Very Bad Words That I Kind Of Just Really Hate When Editing - Starting to get serious about my writing, I blog about editing.
Poetry
Chicago Parking - A fun poem showcasing how mad I become looking for a parking spot.

March
R.A.N.T.
Mad as a Hatter - My erroneous picks for March Madness (Second Annual)
Jeffrey Scott's Day Off - I ask others what they hate about being sick.
Poetry
A Day Off - Humorous poem on being sick.

April
A-Z R.A.N.T.
Week One
C is for Coffee Mugs - I showcase a few of my favourite coffee mugs.
Week Two
H is for High Pressure Sales - I describe what happens when I try to sing up for a FREE 2 WEEK MEMBERSHIP at a local gym.
Week Three
M is for Music - An A-Z themed showcase of some of my music I own.
Week Four
S is for Spatula City - This is a joke. I can't believe such a store could ever exist. I describe my first and only visit to the store.
Week Five
Y is for Youtube Ads - Nothing is so annoying as having to watch a 30 second commercial before a 10 second video.

May
R.A.N.T.
Reflections from A to Z - I recap the previous month and give thanks to a few visitors.
Poetry
Pizza Crazy - A poem I wrote for my friend who loves pizza.
Guest Bloggers
(Muriel) Where is Everybody in France - Why is it impossible to do business in France in May?

June
R.A.N.T.
Writer's Block - Ranting about my short story series which I'm struggling to find time for.
Photography
Egg Harbour Part One - The first of three photography blog posts. This one is heavily focused on flora.
Battle of the Bands
Giving It All Up For Love - My first musical battle. It becomes a regular feature. (Featuring Huey Lewis)
Award
Creative Blogger Award - Someone nominates my blog for it's creativity.

July
R.A.N.T.
A Special Anniversary R.a.n.t. - Guest bloggers stop in to help with an anniversary r.a.n.t.
Photography
Lambeau Field - I visit the stadium of the Green Bay Packers
Battle of the Bands
Kashmir - This battle is between two electric string groups; Bond & Escala

August
Cover Release
Piper Morgan Joins the Circus - I do a cover release for a blogger and author, Stephanie Faris. I also have a chance to ask her a few questions about her book and her inspiration.
Battle of the Bands
Summertime Blues - Another battle in the series. This one features Alan Jackson and Olivia Newton-John

September
Insecure Writer's Support Group
Am I really a writer? - Another new feature. In my first article, I ponder if I can really be called a writer.
Battle of the Bands
Wallflower - My favourite jazz artist Diana Krall is up against Doug Sahm
R.A.N.T.
Rotten Fruit - How I hate purchasing rotten fruit at the store.

October
Listing Hop
Top Five Favourite Songs - What are my favourite songs and why? I joined one-off list hop, hosted by Bish Denham
Battle of the Bands
The Lazy Song - A lazy written poem featuring Bruno Mars & Kimmi Smiles
Photography
It's 2015, Do You Know Where Your Hydrator Is? - Doc & Marty arrive. What technology is missing?
R.A.N.T.
Random Rants III - For the third year, I turn to twitter to find out what others are ranting about.
I.W.S.G.
Writing vs. Blogging - I wonder if my blogging is interfering with my writing.

November
Battle of the Bands
Super Hero Theme Songs - Which was your faovurite growing up? Batman? Spiderman? I list 6 total to vote on.
R.A.N.T.
Jumping is Fun For Some People - People jumping to the wrong conclusion, not a good thing.
Photography
Time Travel Museum - A few of my favourite Time Machines.
I.W.S.G.
Creative Characters - How my dialogue has changed in the past 30 years.
Top 25
Favourite Films - I list my top 25 favourite movies. How many of these would be on your list?

December
Battle of the Bands
Mandolin Rain - Pam Tillis battles Bruce Hornsby. Can you guess who wins?
R.A.N.T.
Jumping the Shark - When a good television show goes bad. Has this happened to one of your favourites?
I.W.S.G.
Making A List - A need to make a list for things to improve on. But will I?


Creative Writing
Writer's Block - A story about High School student Erick, his friend Kenny and Erick's literary rival Jenni.


Most Read Blog Posts of 2015
Top 10 Blog Articles of 2015: January - June (According to Web Hits)
1.) 201 Blog Hits - Reflections from A to Z (05/03/2015)
2.) 167 - Celebrating Anniversaries (05/31/2015)
3.) 140 - Battle of the Bands - Giving It All Up For Love (06/15/2015)
4.) 134 - Egg Harbor (Part One) - Harbor View Park (06/12/2015)
5.) 122 - Where Is Everybody In France (05/17/2015)
6.) 121 - P is for Paris (04/18/2015)
7.) 119 - The Creative Blogger Award (06/17/2015)
8.) 109 - N is for Naysayers (04/16/2015)
9.) 108 - M is for Music (04/15/2015)
10.) 107 - Q is for Quantum Physics (4/20/2015)
Raspberry Award (The least popular blog post)
62.) 18 - Into the Future - (01/13/2015)


Top 10 Blog Articles of 2015: July - December (According to Web Hits)
1.) 325 Blog Hits - Battle of the Bands - Mandolin Rain (12/1/2015)
2.) 240 - Battle of the Bands - Somebody That I Used To Know (08/15/2015)
3.) 239 - Battle of the Super Hero Theme Songs (11/15/2015)
4.) 226 - It's 2015, Do You Know Where Your Hydrator Is? (10/21/2015)
5.) 215 - Battle of the Bands - The Lazy Song (10/15/2015)
6.) 215 - Battle of the Bands - Summertime Blues 08/1/2015)
7.) 211 - Battle of the Bands - It's A Long Way to the Top (07/15/2015)
8.) 201 - The Listing Hop - Top Five Favourite Songs (10/26/2015)
9.) 201 - Battle of the Bands - Don't You (Forget About Me) (09/15/2015)
10.) 197 - Battle of the Bands - Fame (12/15/2015)
Raspberry Award (The least popular blog post)
39.) 68 - Rotten Fruit (09/14/2015)

Lambeau Field Green Bay

This weeks photo collection is from when I was drove to Egg Harbor a month ago. I decided to stop in Green Bay and visit Lambeau Field for my father. My dad was a big Packer fan. Ironically enough, some of my fondest memories of him were watching the Packers play and listening to him shout at the TV, usually at our own team. When I was growing up, the Packers were not as good as they are now. My dad gave me my first beer when I was 16 watching the football game. I was watching the game with him and joked, "Can I have a beer too?" He replied, "If you want." I drank it, but wasn't very fond of it. I didn't really drink beer again till I moved out years later. The day my dad died of cancer, he watched the Packers play. He even managed a cheer for the team when they were winning. He passed away a fe hours later. And yet, even though he was such a big fan, he never made it to an actual game in the stadium. So you can imagine, I had many thoughts of my dad as I visited Lambeau Field. I dedicate this blog post to my father. My favourite Packer fan.

The entrance to Lambeau Field

The building is absolutely gorgeous.

"Curly" Lambeau, founder of the Packers.

Vince Lombardi, head couch of the Packers.
He couched the Packers, winning the first two
 Super Bowls. Name sake of the Lombardi trophy.

During the tour we are given a Packer history lesson on the
origin of the team and and how it came to be publicly owned.

Some organizations can rent this room for social events
during Packer games. If you rent this, please invite me.

A few Packer mementos.

Vince Lombardi trophy

A view of Lambeau from the upper levels.

Another view of the field.

A view of the Ray Nitschke training facility.
Practice is never held on Lambeau Field.

A View of the large screen, retirees are shown below.
Soon Favre will be added to the list.

One of my favourite parts of the tour, we are taken out to the field
through the same tunnel the Packers use to take the field.

A view of the field from ground level.
I felt like running across the field, but I didn't.

I took this photo for my dad who always used to joke around
and perform Lite Beer commercials for his friends.
"Is Uecker around?" was his favourite catch phrases.

Egg Harbor (Part Three) - Where I Stayed & Coming Home

This entry may not interest too many people, but I thought I had to at least show my appreciation for the place I stayed, The Landing Resort. It was a beautiful place and I found it rather inexpensive for the size of the accommodations. As a bonus for sticking around and checking out my photography, I've included a few additional misc photos I found very cool. Hope you do too.

Remember, clicking the photos will enlarge them in most browsers.

The main living quarters. Table was used for my computer.

I found the bedroom very comfy and cozy.

The kitchen was user friendly and ready.

What the place looked like from the chair.

Outside one of the shops, was Bumble Bee

Another cool car. Anyone know the details?

It rained just before I left. Then the sun came out.

I had to stop and photograph this awesome display.

With the sun out, the rain began evaporating.

The process was done 15 minutes later.

The rest of the trip home was uneventful. But it was a wonderful weekend. I'm looking forward to my next trip to Door County.

Next Week:  I visit Lambeau Field (Green Bay)

Egg Harbor (Part Two) - Egg Harbor Shops

Last week I shared a set of flora pictures from a recent trip to Egg Harbor, WI. This week I thought I'd share a few photos I took of the intriguing store-fronts. Which would you like to visit? Let's play a game. Can you guess the six stores I visited? The answer is revealed below.

As always, click on the photo to see them enlarged.

1.) Signature Pieces - A unique shopping & retail adventure.

2.) Fat Louie's - Olive Oil Company. Wine & Spirits

3.) Double Delites - Gourmet Popcorn & Gelato

4.) Greens N Grains - A Natural Food Mart

5.) Made In Britain, Ltd. - Imported foods & gifts from England.

6.) Main Street Shops - A small indoor mall.

7>) Door County Confectionery - Fudge & Nostalgic Candy

8.) Shipwrecked Brew Pub -Restaurant & Brewery

9.) Cupola House - Jewellery, Antiques & Collectibles

10.) Casey's BBQ - Barbecue Pub and Restaurant

11). Door County Sunglass Company - Sunglasses and such.

12). Main Street Market - Groceries, Beer and Wine

13). Grumpy's - Ice Cream & Popcorn

14.) Island Orchard Cider - Stop in for free samples of cider.

15.) Eames Cherry View Park - Music Pavilion

So, how well do you know Jeffrey Scott? Which stores did I visit and spend time shopping in? There were a few clues above to help you along.

Tha Answer:5, 6, 7, 8, 12 & 14.
But to be fair, there are many more I would visit and some places I didn't take photos of.

Next Week: Egg Harbor (Part Three) - This n That