practically joking

There’s really never a dull moment at the ballpark. For instance, here’s a photo I snapped of Albuquerque Isotopes outfielder Matt Cepicky ambushing catcher Nick Trzesniak with a jolt of ice water during batting practice Tuesday afternoon. Trzesniak would end up going 1 for 3 with a walk and an RBI during the game later that evening in which the Isotopes defeated the Nashville Sounds by a score of 7 to 2.

I enjoy the spirit Cepicky adds to the team chemistry. One of his game day routines is to bop around the Isotopes dugout immediately prior to the singing of the National Anthem placing smelling salts under the nose of anyone who fails to see him approaching… players, coaches, trainers, event staff, and yes, even camera operators. Matt always adds intriguing explanations for his actions- my favorite being, “This’ll help ya stay focused.”



I recently asked Matt what his plans for the off-season included. He replied that he would be undergoing knee surgery and rehab. No doubt Trzesniak will be spending his winter thinking of ways to get even with Cepicky for the water assault.

space junk 101

Did you feel the ground shaking along the Rio Grande Valley around 9:00 o’clock Thursday evening and wonder if the sky was falling, or perhaps that the region was experiencing an earthquake? If so, you weren’t alone. You needn’t waste time looking for answers at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earthquake Hazards Program website as they offer no data or plausible explanation. Instead, continue reading right where you are to find out what happened.

Hundreds of people of all ages were present at the epicenter of the seismic event, standing, jumping and dancing in front of the stage in the Kiva Auditorium at the Albuquerque Convention Center as the 30-year-old punk-wave band DEVO performed live for the first time ever in the Duke City.

The memorable evening was opened with a short set by When in Rome, a band best know for their 1988 hit The Promise that was recently reborn when it was featured at the end of the film Napoleon Dynamite.

Following a brief intermission, the Psychedelic Furs marched onto the stage, opening with Love My Way. Richard Butler served as the grand marshal for the Furs hit parade that included Heartbreak Beat. Any student of 80s music would have assumed that the band would have performed Pretty in Pink before it was all said and done. Fear not… they closed their set with that number.

The remainder of the evening was pure DEVO from the lemon yellow drum set and the band’s tear-away chemical-protection suits to their cherry red plastic flower pot hats. Interestingly, when a band maintains a stage presence as gripping as DEVO’s, lighting technicians and smoke-machine operators can take a breather and enjoy the show along with everyone else. They simply aren’t needed.

A handful of obvious DEVOtees appeared to have been waiting a lifetime to see this particular concert. It seemed as if everyone lost control as the band unleashed a torrent of hit songs, including back to back to back to back to back to back to back to back performances of Girl U Want, Whip It, (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, Uncontrollable Urge, Mongoloid, Blockhead and Jocko Homo. Undoubtedly, the regional power grid was strained as DEVO guitars, synthesizers and amplifiers greedily sucked electricity that was converted into waves of de-evolutionary messages that were sent crashing over the crowd with the force of a subliminal tsunami.

DEVO returned to the stage moments after attempting to close with a smashing rendition of Gates of Steel, and went on to rock the house with an energetic encore set that included Freedom of Choice, Wiggly World, Gut Feeling and Johnny B. Goode. For the finale, lead singer Mark Mothersbaugh donned a giant foam cowboy hat and a ridiculous Rollie Fingers mustache and bounced handfuls of nuclear green-colored super balls off the stage into the transfixed crowd. In short, it was an amazing show!

If you ever have an opportunity to see DEVO perform, even if it is another 30 years from now- jump on those tickets!

Later Spuds.

attack of the three-inch hornworms

one thousand swerves

don’t mess with the bull

Around the end of February, a friend gave me a Paul Gleason autograph after sharing a story of how he and his wife had run into him at a baseball card show a number of years before. Not only did I find Gleason’s fondness of baseball memorabilia interesting, I also was intrigued by him having told Marty that in spite of all the acting work he had done, practically everyone still recognized him for his role as Principal Richard Vernon in The Breakfast Club. Without a doubt, I would be part of that group.



I placed the autographed index card on my bulletin board where I keep material I think blog-worthy, figuring I’d get around to discussing it in the not too distant future. Then I got busy with spring training travels and the start of the regular season, as my general lack of postings indicates. Unfortunately it would take the actor’s recent death to make me find the time to share the autograph here.

I really don’t have anything to add about the man that can’t be found online. For example, here is a great photo of Gleason hamming it up with Fred Lynn.

Prior to becoming an actor, Gleason played some minor league baseball in the Cleveland Indians organization. Definitely worth reading about is Paul’s association with former Major Leaguer Mickey McDermott. (Trust me on this link.)

Of course Paul also played the role of Cushman in the classic Seinfeld episode when George Costanza decides to do and say the opposite of everything that he normally would. And who didn’t enjoy Gleason as Clarence Beeks in the film Trading Places.

One theory is that celebrity deaths often occur in threes. Certainly the news of Paul’s passing is enough to prevent me from surfing over to any news websites for the next several days as I dread reading the next obituary.

housekleaning

While leafing through a short stack of notes I had written to myself that were taking up space on my desk where I normally file my clutter, I found a list of silly phrases I overheard during Spring Training games in Arizona. I figure if I type them here, I will have a swell excuse to then visit my shredder.

Strangely enough, a question I overheard repeatedly during games was “What’s the score?” Even odder was that about half the time the person who replied also lacked a clue.

“Who’s playing?” was very popular. (shrug)

The battle cry among the faithful at Phoenix Municipal Stadium was, “Where’s Mark the Beer Guy?” (Seriously, even if you don’t click any of the other links, this one is a MUST!)

If I was given 50 cents for every time I heard “He’s only got MGD,” then “Forget THAT! I’ll wait for another vendor,” it would nearly have covered the price of a frosty beverage for myself.

My favorite overheard discussion was highlighted by the phrase, “No, YOU shut up!” That was during an exchange between a group of rowdy college-age kids and a woman sitting behind them in a wheelchair. When the ushers stepped in to investigate, one of the kids flashed a badge and indicated that everything was under control. Amazingly, that act bought them a full half-inning before the Tempe police were summoned to sort it all out.

Finally, the most commonly uttered word in the parking lots following any of the games, was “SHOTGUN!”

Speaking of baseball, if you are interested in seeing more of my work on websites that I don’t maintain, you should check out a photograph I took of Evan MacLane during the Arizona Fall League last November that has been published as part of an article on SheaBaseball.com. A starting pitcher for the Norfolk Tides, MacLane was recently named the International League’s pitcher of the week.

toy story - 2006

Of the many interesting items I observed in the garden this past week (dozens of newly hatched praying mantids, the first ripening strawberries of the season, my apparent conquering of three hills of vicious ants I’ve been battling for more than a year, loofa sponge seedlings poking up through the ground in the morning glory patch), none are as intriguing as this curious little find…



After brushing off enough dirt to realize that the tiny horseman was made from lead (and not stone), the first thing that popped into my brain was the late 1960s tune “One Tin Soldier.” Then I flipped the toy over to count the rider’s legs in order to determine if he was the resurrected nameless character from Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Steadfast Tin Soldier” (1838).

He isn’t.



I haven’t decided if this guy is really a soldier, some sort of knight or royalty, or just a dandy out for a Sunday ride. Perhaps it represents Paul Revere? Only the most brilliant scholars will scoff at my notion that the figurine is actually of the famously unknown Hessian trooper who would later become legendary by haunting Sleepy Hollow, rushing off to enlist in the Revolutionary War.

What I do know is that the figurine is hollow and was mass produced. It measures 35 mm from nose to tail by 27 mm hoof to head, and is approximately 8 mm thick. The bottom portion of the horse’s right rear leg is missing- possibly having broken off when separated from the base (assuming, of course, that it once had a base). No evidence of paint remains on the item.



A few Google searches revealed that there are TONS of websites dedicated to toy soldiering, lead miniatures, plastic army men, and scale modeling of famous and imaginary battle scenes. Although one or more of these sites potentially might lead to information about my historic artifact, truth be told, the shear number of them is practically overwhelming (at least during baseball season). Thus, I have emailed photos to a few historians I know, and forwarded my request to other archaeologists who hopefully will pass along the inquiry to historical specialists they work with. Perhaps this will result in a better starting point to determine the origin of this object.

Given that the toy lacks an obvious maker’s mark, I may never figure out who manufactured it, or when. Still, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to learn that it is one countless toys produced by Louis Marx and Company, an American company that made millions of dollars selling toys, including inexpensive ones through dime stores (such as Woolworth’s for example) since opening for business in 1919.

Your comments are encouraged. As improbable as it seems, it would be very interesting to be able to associate this item with one of the previous homeowners.

On a side note, while researching this lead figurine I tripped over a line of long-unremembered toys from my youth that caused me to laugh like Syd Barrett. Do any of you still have one or more plastic Nutty Mads figurines in your toy box?

craft work orange

I thought I should add something here for a couple of reasons: A) I wouldn’t want the administrators tagging this account “inactive” and deleting all my hard work, and B) so readers will stop emailing me asking why I haven’t added anything to my blog lately.

I wish to announce that I’ve added another wacky product to the cyberworld.



If you happen to see one of these stickers on a car in front of you in traffic, I would think it safe to give them a slight tap with your car (or Hummer). Worst case… you slightly damage their rear bumper, and give them yet another excuse to draw their hot glue gun and impress you with their marksmanship.

If you must, you can purchase one or more of these stickers for yourself (or your co-workers) by following this link to my shop at CafePress. Perhaps I will get around to adding this item to my website in time for your Krismas shopping.

With my “I Gave at the Pumps” t-shirts selling like hotcakes, I can’t help but wonder just how well actual hotcakes might sell on CafePress.

By the way, I have added the Spring Training articles I wrote for XXL National Sports Daily to my website. You can download and read those articles for FREE. (Note: The articles are in the very popular .pdf format, so make sure you have the latest and greatest version of Adobe Acrobat installed on your computer before you read them.) I haven’t added any photos yet, so feel free to check back in the future if you are interested in seeing them.

Time to water the garden.

86 years

More from the “Did you know” department…

It became legal for Albuquerque women to vote on February 19, 1920 when New Mexico became the 32nd state to ratify the Suffrage Amendment.

Ethel doesn’t sleep here anymore

(My working title for this entry was “I Love Ethel,” but that was annoying even to me before the cyberink had begun to dry.)

Okay, so everyone knows that Vivian Vance (Ethel Mertz in the "I Love Lucy" television series) got her theatrical start in the Duke City. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that she lived in the Huning Highlands Neighborhood for the short time she was in the area. I wonder if you’ll discover anything surprising in the results of my archival research.

Born "Vivian Roberta Jones" in Cherryvale, Kansas on July 26, 1909, Vivian Vance was a founding member of the Albuquerque Little Theater after moving to the Rio Grande valley in 1928 and marrying Joseph Shearer Danneck on October 6th. According to historical documents, the Dannecks resided at 422 Coal Avenue East while Vivian performed at the KiMo Theater, portraying played a vamp in "This Thing Called Love" and a nun in "The Cradle Song."

Although the Dannecks weren’t divorced until April 20, 1931, it appears that Miss Jones was already living by herself at 409 South Arno as early as 1930. Having taken the name "Vance" as suggested by her dramatics teacher, Vivian was a fixture on the Albuquerque stage until she moved to New York in 1932. It seems that Vance also earned a little spending money by working as a saleslady at Rosenwald’s Department Store in 1931.


The Coal Street residence seems to have been demolished, yet the home at 409 Walter Street SE remains intact.

Obviously, Vivian Vance did very well for herself after leaving the region. Vance’s beloved “I Love Lucy” character “Ethel Mertz” did return to Albuquerque during season 4. “Ethel’s Home Town” (episode 113) originally aired on CBS on January 31, 1955. When the Mertzes and Ricardos visit the Duke City during that show, the locals are under the impression that Ethel is on HER way to Hollywood. Hilarity follows. One of the funniest lines is the episode is delivered by Fred Mertz (William Frawley) who declares “She’s big everywhere!”

Vivian died in Belvedere, California on August 17, 1979. As of this writing, there have been no confirmed reports of sightings of Vivian Vance’s ghost anywhere in Albuquerque.

Here’s a photo of an interesting item I discovered on the ground in front of Vance’s house on Arno. I’ll leave it up to you readers to decide if Vivian is trying to tell us anything.

duke city valentine dining

Just when you think I have a timely post, you discover that I don't.

Did you know that Albuquerque’s old Tic Toc Diner, originally located at 601 Osuna Road NW from about 1947 to 2000, is now located in Lake City, Colorado? Reports indicate that this classic Valentine Diner (serial number 538) is still appreciated by all who visit it.

xxl national sports daily

No doubt about it, getting a call up to the majors is a HUGE deal; even for a photojournalist.

I just found out that I have been selected by XXL National Sports Daily to cover the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim* as they prepare this March for the 2006 Major League Baseball season.

What better way to spend the final weeks before the Isotopes open the 2006 season than soaking up some rays and Cracker Jack in the Valley of the Sun while enjoying Cactus League Spring Training games? My duties will include scoring the contests, compiling game notes, conducting player interviews, writing feature articles and supplying interesting photographs for the recently launched website. You will be able to follow my take on the Angels’ progress all March via FREE downloadable .pdf files available on the XXL National Sports Daily website.

This wild assignment is a result of a connection I made during my trip to the 2005 Arizona Fall League.

town house crackers

Our gang caught a giant wave over to the Town House Lounge (3911 Central Avenue NE) this past Friday evening to check out some charbroiled longhorns and ice-cold longnecks. Initially we congregated in the patio section that fronts Central Avenue where we were informed that there would be no entertainment that evening. Luckily, the waitress only meant in that section of the lounge!

Eventually we moved into the dining room portion of the restaurant where we were greeted by warm lighting softly reflecting off fantastic red Naugahyde booths that make everyone feel like Frank Sinatra. That said, the room belonged to one of Albuquerque’s hardest working entertainers, the iconic Freddie (Kekaulike) Baker.



If you know in advance that you are going to see Freddie perform, it would serve you well to be prepared to join Mrs. Baker as her husband dives into Tiny Bubbles. If you fight her, she’ll only make your life difficult.



Service was first-rate, while the food was both delicious and plentiful. Customers also receive a complimentary shot of brandy at the conclusion of every meal. How kool is that?

As for the restrooms… well, they do have running water. A person more clever than I coined the term “genurinal” to describe the no-name thirsty urinals present in the men’s room.

Although the Town House Lounge offers abundant parking in rear, you may decide to park in front so you can snap photos of the giant cow before you go in. See you there!

fashionably historic

I like history. My wife likes fashion. Sometimes that results in a skirmish over the remote control that sends both cats scurrying for cover resembling the expulsion of the French Acadians from Nova Scotia after the British captured Fort Beauséjour.

Now and again, movies and television programs come along that appeal to us both. Most recently, I discovered a true gem entitled Fashion Horizons- a 20-minute film that documents a trip of four trendy Hollywood starlets as they tour 1940s Albuquerque, New Mexico and Phoenix, Arizona.

The movie includes some interesting footage shot at the original Albuquerque airport and the luxurious Alvarado Hotel where the jet-setting hipsters freshen up before bopping over to Isleta Casino only to be disappointed to discover that Indian gaming had yet to gain a foothold in the Rio Grande Valley. Viewers should be cautioned to not allow the political incorrectness of the early 1940s present in the film to take away from the tender moment shared between Margaret Hayes and child author Louise Albieta (I am a Pueblo Indian Girl).

Other (long-deceased) Paramont Pictures beauties in the film include Virginia Dale, Esther Fernandez, Mary Martin and Martha O’Driscoll. Also noteworthy is a flyover of Acoma Pueblo in a TWA Stratoliner as the gals make their way to the Valley of the Sun. I was impressed how the director managed to cram the feel of an entire lazy Phoenix afternoon into the second half of the short. Admittedly missing the significance of the fashion show at the Camelback Inn, all I learned from that portion of the movie is that “Smoking is cool.”

The trip concludes with a flyover of the Grand Canyon when it becomes obvious that narrator Wendell Niles has assumed full control over the plane’s liquor cart.

Not convinced? DOWNLOAD Fashion Horizons and see for yourself.

eye in the sky

Don’t worry; this entry isn’t about the Alan Parson’s Project (although that I Robot is a damned fine album).

Following up on a blog entry by my friend Chantal at the Duke City Fix, I entered my address in a beta version of the Windows Live Local website- mostly just to see how it compares to Google Earth. For one, the name is noticeably less catchy. Other than that, it is currently only useful if you live in one of a dozen large US cities. Both are fun to mess around with.



While checking out the various views of the property, I wondered when the images were gathered. Then I was dumbfounded when I realized that the views to the west and east had captured me in the process of loading two truckloads of weeds and garden waste into my pickup truck so I could haul it to a city dump in a single trip. Strangely enough, today marks the 10-month anniversary of the date (March 23, 2005) when I actually completed that chore. Luckily big brother managed to document me in the process of actually doing something constructive instead of hanging around in the garden searching for praying mantids or hanging out at the racetrack.

I have only a rough idea when the other two images were captured. The view to the south was obviously taken very early on a Thursday morning (based on the shadows being cast from the trash containers lining the street). All I can tell about the view from to the north is that it was taken not long after March 14th.

Also, in order to prevent any number of readers from emailing and inquiring about the image included here, it is a Photoshop-altered compilation of screen captures I made using a trial version of SnagIt software. (As always, don’t forget to “click” on the photo to see the full-size image!)

where have you gone miss nellie bly?

I find it difficult to believe that 116 years have passed since Nellie Bly (born Elizabeth Jane Cochran), a 23-year-old reporter for the New York World visited Albuquerque on January 22, 1890 during her record-breaking trip around the world. Given that she completed her trip a full seven days quicker than the fictional Phineas Fogg in Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days, one would think that Miss Bly could have spent more than TWO MINUTES in the Duke City. As it was, she didn't even have enough time to disembark from the Atlantic & Pacific train in order to purchase a burrito from a vendor outside the Alvarado Depot.



I uncovered this historical tidbit recently while conducting research for a special project that I look forward to sharing with you in the not-too-distant-future. I also discovered an intriguing Nellie Bly website that contains images of a handful of Victorian trade cards that used Nellie’s globe-trotting image to promote canned goods, clothing, and (my favorite) Dr. Morse’s Indian Root Pills. Mostly, I was astounded to learn that the New York World actually published a parlor game called "Around the World with Nellie Bly.” (Good luck finding that on eBay!)

Obviously, Albuquerque is a very different place today that it was when Miss Bly breezed through. I can’t think of a better way to illustrate the changes than to point you toward this very cool map of Albuquerque that was hand-drawn by artist Augustus Koch in 1886. The map has been reprinted a number of times, and was even reproduced as a 12” by 16” image for the 1973 calendar distributed by the Ackerman-Grant Realty Company.

If you wish, you may purchase a print from Photos to Go in various sizes and paper stock starting at $15.95. I’m definitely going to have to pick one up since the map includes the location where our house was constructed two decades later.

how lucky can one get?

When asked, “What’s a good way to spend a three-day weekend?” I’ll either ignore the person, or reply, “Hunting for decent dive bars.” Ever since I first noticed the wonderful sign advertising the Yucca Lounge at 114 Wyoming NE just north of Central Avenue, I thought it might be a tavern worthy of dropping a few bucks. Unfortunately, by the time I got around to checking the place out, it was too late.

The Yucca Lounge might still be a great place to hang out with friends and enjoy a few drinks and laughs, but you should know up front that the place is now decidedly BYOE(verything)… beers, stools, neon lights, jukebox, walls, roof, etc. I have no idea when this place was demolished, or even when/if anyone plans on returning to the location and hauling off the remaining debris.

I would definitely like to install the existing sign in my garden to inspire future agricultural projects, so I thought I’d better begin drafting a proposal to submit to Albuquerque's Landmarks and Urban Conservation Commission to find out what objections they might have to possible relocation.



One might be temped to ask, “Where’s a good place to write such a proposal?” Of course I would ignore such a question and head directly to the lounge at the Lucky 66 Bowl (6132 4th St NW), where I could clear my mind and begin scrawling a few words onto paper.



Dewars Pub offers a sort of crow’s nest lounge that overlooks some 40 lanes of humanity. You sort of feel like you are located in the pilothouse of a large boat- a paddlewheel riverboat in search of the mysterious island of video poker machines, if you must. One can look down over the starboard side and watch people playing ridiculous dancing-themed arcade games while their friends look on with amazed faces. There is no visible jukebox at Dewars Pub, but that isn’t a problem as long as you are in the mood for 80s rock ballads that are pumped out of the sound system. Dewars Pub does feature live music every so often, and karaoke even more frequently.



Service was friendly. Two bottles of beer will run you $4.50 (plus tip). Rum is available for pirates. Smoking is encouraged, and mullets are embraced.

A portion of the floor is covered with fantastic Route 66-themed carpet featuring a tribute to Old Town Albuquerque complete with an image of flamenco dancers. All expenses were spared when the restrooms were being furnished. The low-flow Mansfield urinals are pretty much what you would expect to find in a non-descript "customer's only" public restroom.

All said, Dewars Pub is a decent-enough place to drink a few beers. If you bowl, then you should add Lucky 66 Bowl to your “Must Visit” list.

lindy's diner

While walking to the main library downtown this afternoon, I noticed another movie in production. With winds gusting in 35 mile per hour range, I didn’t bother to nose around and try to figure out what was being filmed inside Lindy’s Diner. Considering the high volume of trucks, equipment and people milling about, I believe it is safe to assume that it was a movie and not a commercial.



I would be willing to wager that the scene will be “explosive,” if not completely gut-wrenching. The anticipation is killing me.

get lost and found

I recently undertook what I’m sure will prove to be a long and difficult project, but will ultimately make servicing our 98-year-old home a less challenging task. When we bought the house, a ton of construction debris was observed in the crawlspace including bricks, lumber, shingles, various types of pipe and lord only knows what else. It was recommended that someone should remove this stuff from under the house. As it turns out, I’ve already managed to put off this task for over a year.

So far I have removed ten 5-gallon buckets of sediment and three 5-gallon buckets of bricks and lumber fragments. Boy, is it ever a dirty job! Unlike an archaeological excavation conducted outdoors, it is proving nearly impossible to avoid getting dust everywhere in the house.

I have uncovered a couple of interesting artifacts already. The first is a plastic Hot Wheels “watch-style” game that features a picture of a school bus on the face. It has two BBs inside that you try to maneuver into two tiny holes. The game is mesmerizing. I briefly attempted to find out more information about the toy on the Internet, but my Google efforts came up empty.

Another interesting artifact is a weight/fortune ticket from one of those old penny scales at F.W. Woolworth that was in operation at 317-319 Central Avenue SW from 1915 to the 1980s (?). The ticket was produced by the International Ticket Scale Corporation in New York (Pat. No. 1610893). Unfortunately, there is no date on the ticket itself, but it is clear that it belonged to a small person as they weighed in at 112 pounds. I would hazard a guess that a penny for a fortune would be an expenditure too frivolous for Lettie Watson-Mize, so possibly the ticket represents the disposable income of her daughter, Henrietta.



I’m also left wondering how many Albuquerqueans weighed themselves following a meal at the Woolworth’s lunch counter, then tucked their fortune behind the infamous Hilda Schrader Whitcher sample Social Security card in their new E.H. Ferree wallet. (You can bet I will let you know if I locate one of those!)

Although the Internet has failed to yield much useful diagnostic information, my searches have unearthed a few clues. One interesting tidbit is an image of a 1927 model International Ticket Scale Corporation Scale Height and Weight Meter on exhibit at Dallas Museum of Art. Neat, huh?

I also discovered an interesting website for the International Arcade Museum. They don’t have much info on their International Ticket Scale page, so I think I will submit this image of my found ticket in hopes that it will result in future information sharing from some knowledgeable old-timer.

The fortune reads, “You are very shrewd in business and are thoroughly capable of managing any large enterprise.” Having pondered this discovery, I have decided to consider it an omen indicating that I will be successful in my quest to clean up the crawlspace, and excavate trenches that will allow better access to the plumbing and electrical elements. Best-case scenario, I discover an old tobacco tin containing a 1909 American Tobacco Company T-206 Honus Wagner baseball card.

only the shadow (of I-40) knows

Sometimes even the most organized people get so caught up in the blur of holiday parties, travels, card sending and gift wrapping that they lose track of time and space- only to discover themselves wondering how they are to know exactly when the Christmas season is truly over. I would have to say when you find yourself sitting at the bar in the Silver Fox Lounge on a Monday afternoon watching a waitress leisurely taking down stands of twinkle lights, tinsel, and assorted ornaments, it is probably time to admit that you have survived yet another holiday season.



You claim you’ve never been to the Silver Fox Lounge? Then you are missing out on one of the Duke City’s finest drinking establishments. Although “they” say that you should avoid judging books by their covers, this is one bar that should be judged by its wonderful signage at the corner of Haines and 4th St NW. Inside, patrons are treated to fast and friendly service, and new customers (or “irregulars”) receive hearty handshakes from the owner.

Located along the pre-1929 alignment of historic Route 66, the Silver Fox Lounge is in all likelihood the best place in Albuquerque to listen to “Love Hangover” spilling from a jukebox and reflecting off a small disco ball before being absorbed by a larger than life-sized painting of a nude woman (who reminds me of Elly Mae Clampett). Walls are sparsely decorated with framed photographs of Elvis, collages of saloon regulars and posters announcing unfathomable happy hour deals.

A small, low stage stands at the ready for live performances by local bands and the low-density of television sets elevates the Silver Fox Lounge above the numerous downtown sports bars. Restrooms are bright and clean by all standards, and the men’s room contains a state-of-the-art 3.8-liter Toto urinal. Large round booths afford great views of the tavern’s billiards tables. The floor is covered with a combination of new tile and festive “Stinko de Mayo” carpeting.

The Silver Fox Lounge also offers a full bar menu from 7:30 am to 9:00 pm for customers desiring more nutrition than just beer. What I’m saying is, the next time you find yourself driving by the Silver Fox Lounge, do not hesitate to dive in. Entrance is on the side. Don’t be surprised if you spot a bumper sticker in the parking lot around back that reads “What Would Scooby Do?”