Interview with a Hamburger
Being Chapter the 14th of the 2010 SxSW March into Spring Haiku & BBQ Tour--
(a novella)
Wednesday, March 24th, 2010
After far too little rest, we stir once again when the fancy coffee starts making itself known via celestial fragrances emanating from the kitchen. Teresa downs of the some elixir with the guys and sails off into her day. I dash a tear or two from my eye. Aww. Damn! It' been so very fun to see friends on this trip, but then it's over before you know it!
We get ourselves to an eatery. We need sustenance of the bacon & egg persuasion and then we need to get our sorry sleepy asses on the road, pronto. We have a long way to go to make our radio interview by 2:00 at Northern Arizona University's KJACK RADIO in Flagstaff. There are various reports on the driving time--some folks say three hours some predict five. But the experts agree: it all depends on the weather.
As soon as we get on the highway it starts snowing. Andrew is filming the snow flurries out the window with his phone, intoning in his best suspense-movie-trailer-narrator-voice: "The conditions: perilous. The temperature: dropping. The altitude: high. The time: short. The music: good". We all cackle. Another long day coming our way.
The snow, as it turns out, doesn't last long or stick on the road--and we zoom into Flagstaff pretty much on time (it took about four hours). We require remedial assistance finding the right building, but once a DJ meets us in the parking lot, and we are escorted safely to the station, we can feel relief that we have made it. Phew. The staff get us situated with chairs, headphones, and microphones, and we begin our interview. We do a full fun one-hour show and good times are had by all, with Music Director Ben Wake interviewing us and spinning tunes from our CDs, and Stan helping him out and the rest of the whole cool team supporting the production technically and otherwise.
I record a station ID after the show & then ask the KJACK team the ever important question. Where can we eat? Ben hesitates not one instant. "Diablo Burger". He says. And we listen.
And we aren't sorry once we are biting into the succulent local grass-fed beef burgers served on English muffins with the Diablo logo burned right into the bread in an extra special bonus classy touch... and for those of you who just tuned in: we are talking with a Diablo burger from Flagstaff, Arizona. Hi DB! You are just delicious! Well, you're welcome! So, DB, where do you draw inspiration? What are your biggest influences? Who is the best chef frying up burgers today? What's your favorite song? Oh. Sorry, I ate you.
We have one more leg of travel left for today's trip, so it is good we have eaten so heartily. We also stock up on some good-looking chocolates from a nice Flagstaff candy-store. After all, chocolate is the preferred post-hamburger food group. We begin nibbling it in the truck right away.
Fully-loaded on protein and sugar, we head west with zest. We are to stay with Gary's great bud, Ricky, in Lake Havasu City tonight. Just three hours away...or well, maybe more. The sun sets over the high mountain desert. It's another XTC evening. Andrew & Gary sing along. Contrary to popular belief, I'm not that familiar with the XTC oeuvre, but I dig them mightily when I hear them. And thus, we are all chilling, enjoying the tunes until we near Lake Havasu and we try to follow the web-generated directions to Ricky's abode. We are directed in a very wide loop that ultimately deposits us at exactly the same intersection of the same thoroughfare where we exited the highway. HELLS BELLS! This detour costs us almost a month. A year! A DECADE! Finally, we call and Ricky talks us through the proper route to his house. And thus, we park and we drag in our belongings. In our spent state, we exhibit poor posture slouching wearily at his table, though we are not so weak and tired as to be unable to enjoy snacking on the delightful array of treats he has provided for our delectation. Nor to preclude the quaffing of refreshing beverages. Oh yes. Thank goodness for you, Ricky!
It is not long before I excuse myself and head to my room--for tonight we all have separate chambers. Yes. This is deluxe.
However, it is late and tomorrow: to California! So, right now: to dreamland.
(a novella)
Wednesday, March 24th, 2010
After far too little rest, we stir once again when the fancy coffee starts making itself known via celestial fragrances emanating from the kitchen. Teresa downs of the some elixir with the guys and sails off into her day. I dash a tear or two from my eye. Aww. Damn! It' been so very fun to see friends on this trip, but then it's over before you know it!
We get ourselves to an eatery. We need sustenance of the bacon & egg persuasion and then we need to get our sorry sleepy asses on the road, pronto. We have a long way to go to make our radio interview by 2:00 at Northern Arizona University's KJACK RADIO in Flagstaff. There are various reports on the driving time--some folks say three hours some predict five. But the experts agree: it all depends on the weather.
As soon as we get on the highway it starts snowing. Andrew is filming the snow flurries out the window with his phone, intoning in his best suspense-movie-trailer-narrator-voice: "The conditions: perilous. The temperature: dropping. The altitude: high. The time: short. The music: good". We all cackle. Another long day coming our way.
The snow, as it turns out, doesn't last long or stick on the road--and we zoom into Flagstaff pretty much on time (it took about four hours). We require remedial assistance finding the right building, but once a DJ meets us in the parking lot, and we are escorted safely to the station, we can feel relief that we have made it. Phew. The staff get us situated with chairs, headphones, and microphones, and we begin our interview. We do a full fun one-hour show and good times are had by all, with Music Director Ben Wake interviewing us and spinning tunes from our CDs, and Stan helping him out and the rest of the whole cool team supporting the production technically and otherwise.
I record a station ID after the show & then ask the KJACK team the ever important question. Where can we eat? Ben hesitates not one instant. "Diablo Burger". He says. And we listen.
And we aren't sorry once we are biting into the succulent local grass-fed beef burgers served on English muffins with the Diablo logo burned right into the bread in an extra special bonus classy touch... and for those of you who just tuned in: we are talking with a Diablo burger from Flagstaff, Arizona. Hi DB! You are just delicious! Well, you're welcome! So, DB, where do you draw inspiration? What are your biggest influences? Who is the best chef frying up burgers today? What's your favorite song? Oh. Sorry, I ate you.
We have one more leg of travel left for today's trip, so it is good we have eaten so heartily. We also stock up on some good-looking chocolates from a nice Flagstaff candy-store. After all, chocolate is the preferred post-hamburger food group. We begin nibbling it in the truck right away.
Fully-loaded on protein and sugar, we head west with zest. We are to stay with Gary's great bud, Ricky, in Lake Havasu City tonight. Just three hours away...or well, maybe more. The sun sets over the high mountain desert. It's another XTC evening. Andrew & Gary sing along. Contrary to popular belief, I'm not that familiar with the XTC oeuvre, but I dig them mightily when I hear them. And thus, we are all chilling, enjoying the tunes until we near Lake Havasu and we try to follow the web-generated directions to Ricky's abode. We are directed in a very wide loop that ultimately deposits us at exactly the same intersection of the same thoroughfare where we exited the highway. HELLS BELLS! This detour costs us almost a month. A year! A DECADE! Finally, we call and Ricky talks us through the proper route to his house. And thus, we park and we drag in our belongings. In our spent state, we exhibit poor posture slouching wearily at his table, though we are not so weak and tired as to be unable to enjoy snacking on the delightful array of treats he has provided for our delectation. Nor to preclude the quaffing of refreshing beverages. Oh yes. Thank goodness for you, Ricky!
It is not long before I excuse myself and head to my room--for tonight we all have separate chambers. Yes. This is deluxe.
However, it is late and tomorrow: to California! So, right now: to dreamland.
posted by Margrit | 11:06 AM
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