Being in Missoula is like being on set. Huge painted backdrops line the city streets; just over that dry goods store-cum-apartment building is a snowy peak looking almost real against real big sky. And don’t get me wrong – I know I ain’t seen nothin’ yet. My house contains a great selection of cookbooks and books by the great nature thinkers and writers. More than one person has asked me what my personal goals are for this trip, and I decided to decide when I got here. I now have one – to practice a few things from the Moosewood Cookbook to add to my limited culinary abilities.
A few observations from my less than 24 hours here:
Any business of good repute has animals mounted on the wall. If you don’t have an elk, don’t bother, but if you do, add a bobcat, big-horn sheep, and just for good measure, a swordfish. Both the airport and rental car place subscribe to this school of thought, though my breakfast and tea shop does not. They were going for more of the post post modern authenticity: put bright white boxes on dark wooden shelves, add track lighting and mark the prices up so people will think you’re a quality establishment. Which is not to say that they weren’t; my breakfast was delicious… and cheap! (but I skipped the over-priced white boxes in favor of my up-coming trip to the Good Food store.
This town has edges, as in “the edge of town.” I’ve never even been anywhere with edges, and now, I live on one, an honest-to-goodness “edge of town,” complete with a railroad track and steep slope running up behind it (probably painted on plywood like the other edges though; not sure, I haven’t touched it yet) right out my front door.
Driving around the edges this morning took me about a half hour, and the map I got from the rental car man was all I needed to make the circuit and re-find the aforementioned breakfast establishment I had seen on the first leg of my morning jaunt (at the corner of Higgins and E. Broadway). I was dismayed to stop at a light as I neared the end of my circuit and see a great blue Wal-Mart sign assaulting the side of a warehouse building. But, I thought, at least I know where to get cheap things when I can’t find them somewhere else.
Given the preponderance of orthodontic offices and casinos, Missoula residents have either very straight teeth and lots of disposable income, very crooked teeth and no disposable income, or some combination of the two. They also require many chiropractic establishments.
Biking here will be amazing. There are 3 stop signs and 5 stop lights and bike lanes everywhere. Not to mention that a distinct lack of vehicular traffic makes cycling a very attractive option for seeing the sights and getting around. Next step: buy a bike.
1 comment:
I should probably never read your blog again. Well at least until you return as there will be a part of me wanting to yell in a jealous fit after reading every sentence.
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