Bring spring and things to Anchorage

Like bring yourself to Alaska, and enjoy it’s many pleasures. There’s so much to do this time of year and it’s best before the deluge of tourists arrive. Each year we welcome new businesses, endeavors, but this year, the big one to arrive is an Olive Garden. . .. but forget about going there unless you want to stand in a line for an hour. The bike trails are being resurfaced, and there is a huge network of them. I’m trying to post a pdf image of my favorite ‘car’, but until I study some more you’ll have to log onto my website

Local talent crops up all over town. Well, I’ll write more later- I have to run outside and enjoy the beautiful sunshine!

A Ho-hum Anchorage Spring

This image of a Gulf Oil Rig (to clean up spill from ruptured oil tank offshore) appeared in the Anchorage Daily News, and my immediate reaction was that it was a ‘steal’ from our new statue outside our museum . .. I hope you’ve seen the earlier blog that showed the $550,000 sculpture of a man? or robot? or tinker toy? placed on the far corner of the Anchorage Museum Block. I’m still trying hard to accept it, but it doesn’t work . . . not unlike the apparatus (above) that doesn’t work either.

Another spring thing is the annual Strawberry festival for the residents of Pioneer [retirement] Home . . . always a nice event put on by the Pioneers of Alaska. We serve coffee, strawberry shortcake, and have some nice music of the ages (me). Also, there are 3 theatre productions and a choice of dance recitals this week, too!

Flags are at half staff all week for the passing of Gov. Wally Hickel, whom you may remember on a national basis for being Secretary of the Interior, under President Nixon. So many of the founders of the new Anchorage are leaving us, but rapidly being replaced by heirs and new arrivals. (‘new’ means in the last 50 years). If you are reading this from outside Alaska, you may not know that a newcomer here is called a ‘cheechako’, still. Many of the old traditions are fading. You don’t see fur parkas around like the old days, and no one knows what a billikin is anymore – even the Billikin Lounge is closed. Businesses come and go, and one of my favorite stores to walk thru was Killer Designs. But I guess that was the problem . . . there are many others like me who walk thru, but browse only.

March goes out like a lamb

March did come in like a lion . . . after all, if I’m promoting travel to Alaska, the weather is a prime consideration. . . I am always asked what is the best month to visit . ..  it depends on your interests, but the shoulder season is definitely not too inviting.  Now as March is ending, the first spring flowers are appearing.  Construction is underway everywhere.  The image you see above is a ‘different’ kind of church, built with corrugated metal.  It’s a curiosity as I drive by it almost daily.  I don’t see any windows, so it’s not for me.

Our weather is also pleasant and sunny, altho’ we have yet to reach 50 degrees.  In order to keep the locales sane, there are so many options.  Today, Alaska Wild had a football game at Sullivan Arena.  This is our team in their second season, and they’re beginning to win!  This is definitely going to bloom in the future, and I have to brag that I won four tickets to the next game.  We had another meet-and-greet at the Petroleum Club and I dropped my name in the jar.  The opera is in full swing, with fund-raising trattorias and such.  Students have their piano recitals, and schools are busy with their last semester after spring break.

This is also the season for continuing funerals, which vary from wakes, parties, and church services. . . seems like there are more funerals in the springtime.

Obviously, I don’t have a lot to write about today, unless you want to hear about our digital television starting several months before the national switch.  I do have two TV’s working digital, and 3 DVD’s, 2 VHS’s, and no IPods.  So I guess I have no complaints, and life is good.  I’m going to be traveling now for a few weeks, so I hope my good luck continues.  . . that may be stretching it, tho’.