52 thoughts on “July 13, 2017: Retail Hazards”

  1. If you've ever been to New Orleans you have certainly seen the blue dog "art" that is splashed across city and slapped onto everything from I voted stickers to billboards. Well, shithead, our cat (actual name Blue), has a strong resemblance to this stupid dog. I've been less than accepted into the New Orleans art scene (which I'm largely fine with as I show in other places), so, as a goof, I made a blue cat and submitted it to the Louisiana Contemporary exhibition. I found out yesterday that I was selected for the show. This is at once hilarious and deeply tragic. On one hand I get to have a piece of fake news art in the show, and on the other hand the inclusion of this piece confirms my cynicism and skepticism of the art world. I'm sticking with funny until the opening.

    2. I'm not familiar with the blue dog and so the joak is probably lost on me. However, I am interested in both seeing the piece and understanding what you mean by 'fake' art (and I suppose by extension, what you as an artist consider real art) ... is something an artist produces only 'art' when they intend it to be considered or appreciated seriously?

      1. is something an artist produces only 'art' when they intend it to be considered or appreciated seriously?

        I once went to a Dadaism exhibit... I think that was art?

      2. I appreciate the question, but I'll have to wait till I get home to a real keyboard to answer properly. The short answer is that this piece of art was meant as a gentle middle finger to the establishment's notion of what art is. The price tag attached to the ear is a blunt one liner, and the title, Rodrigue's One and Only Blue Cat, is, again, subtle as a flying mallet. This piece was designed to be rejected from the show to gauge weather or not I have the correct level of cynicism towards the New Orleans art scene. I apparently undersold my own nihilism.

        1. oh man - the last sentence of this short answer made me laugh so hard... I'm still grinning and chuckling like an idiot.

          1. The piece is made of left over exhibition material from my institution, partially made on company time. Yeah, this is pretty hilarious to me.

      3. I wonder if this is enough explanation?
        Meat: Is it any deeper than can be gained from that? Is it just an overdone meme representing NOLA art? Like "Spoonbridge with Cherry" plus Scott Seekins, times 100?

        1. So, George Rodrigue was a local artist who couldn't find success, and then landed on the blue dog. That dog is everywhere, and on everything. The problem is not that the dog isn't "art" or that the paintings are "bad", rather that the commercialized version of anything loses some sort of undefinable value while simultaneously gaining extraordinary monetary value. Complicating this, of course, is that George was a pretty generous dude, and his foundation has done magnificent things for local arts education.

          I'm going to be both revered and reviled for this piece of art. There will be a lot of artists who will be pissed that my one liner is in the show and their work was rejected (Oh, mama, do I understand that thought...), and there will be those folks who get the joke. I'm also certain that the Rodrigue folks will not be too happy with my piece, but, well, they kind of had it coming because they continue to issue new screen prints based on his paintings. That kind of practice is so shady, but I guess the estate needs to eat, so... (also, I can't figure out why no one else has done this gag yet...)

    3. A few years ago, I noticed that the Taco Bell on West Seventh Street was decorated with several Blue Dogs. (Yes, I ate at Taco Bell.)

      1. this is just a blatant attempt to raise your Charles Murray Bubble Quiz score, isn't it?

          2. I didn't understand this until just now (when I encountered the article), but it is hilarious and I had to come back here and tell you.

            Also, even funnier in light of the conversation below re: restaurant recommendations (to which my contribution was going to be "our go to is one of the two bar and grills in my town... or you can get pizza at the gas station.")

            1. Thanks, I love nothing more than semi-obscure joaks which is why What Was That You Said and Twenty Questions are always my favorite Survivor challenges (even though I realize a few of my answers always sneak past the readers).

    4. when you sell that cat pic for a meeeeeeeelllllion dollars, will you cash the check and retire from art, or not cash the check and go live in an ashram?

      1. Part of the joke is that Rodrigue was a very talented painter before he sold his first blue dog, and now that he's dead the blue dogs sell for more than ever. In my version I painted my cat and hung a price tag off the ear listing the piece for a cool, friend price, 49,999.98. The museum contacted me to see if that sale value was real, for insurance purpose. In for a penny...

  2. "Minor Details" will be delayed. It may show up later today, it may not show up for a few days. Nothing in particularly going on personally, but lots of stuff going on pastorally. We'll see how things go.

  3. Quintana needs to commute farther north in Chicago now.

    I don't know if this helps the Cubs all that much. Sure, Quintana is better than any other starter they have, but he's not quite as good as previous years. At least the Twins won't have to face him again.

    1. Other than his walk rate being up, he's mostly the same pitcher. I bet they're hoping that they can get it under control. And Quintana is also younger than most of their starters. Lackey is probably done after this year. Lester may be in his decline phase. Arrieta is probably not resigned after this year. I'm guessing they're thinking long game, since they have good hitters for many years to come.

      1. Home runs are also up, but so are the strikeouts. I was looking at his FIP being at 4.01. It's gone up every year since 2014: 2.81, 3.18, 3.56, and now 4.01. Not a positive trend.

        1. Yeah. Maybe since Theo already won the World Series already he's willing to take more chances to win now. I dunno.

          1. I wonder what kind of money he's going to have to work with. Quintana is on a really favorable contract where he could be half as good as he's been the last three years and still be performing at or slightly above his contract. The Cubs likely couldn't get that kind of upside in the free agent market for pitchers, so this gives them more cash to spend in the free agent market this offseason.

            Taking a quick look at the prospects--Jimenez will probably be a good hitter, but I could poke holes in his resume if necessary (I'd rather have a guy who hits for average but could fill out than a guy who hits for power but doesn't make as much contact, and his defense is probably pretty bad if they already had him at a corner position at age 17.) Cease I wouldn't rate at all. I don't care how many strikeouts you're getting a 4.5 BB/9 in the low minors is a huge red flag when you're only going to be facing more and more disciplined hitters as you move up. Best case scenario is that he has one really plus pitch and becomes one of those nail-biter relievers that walks a ton and strikes out a ton and makes innings last 30 minutes while somehow managing to strand runners.

            Rose is kind of similar to Jiminez but his contact problems are worse. Based on his bb-ref picture and height/weight, he could stand to gain some weight and he'd be stronger, but he's already hitting for power. Don't see a lot of upside there for a corner infielder.

            Flete is really old for his level, but maybe he's good with the glove and could be a utility guy someday soon-ish.

            I don't think the White Sox are totally unreasonable for believing that Jimenez is worth the deal--he could be a really good player for a while, but I think there's a better chance the Cubs don't particularly regret dealing him away.

  4. Anyone have downtown Mpls dinner recommendation? It's a big anniversary coming up so I'm willing to splurge a little.

      1. Bachelor Farmer is the only one I know. I wasn't a big fan. Just not my style. Too bland.

        I don't know if north loop counts or not. We're staying downtown. It depends on how much walking we want to do.

        1. Butcher and the Boar is great. Fogo if you want lots and lots of meat (and a good salad bar).

            1. I've done Manny's but on others' dime.

              I've never been to Murray's. I've heard it isn't great but I should go to check it off the list. (I think those were the same people that said I had to go to Graceland while in Memphis.)

      2. I quite liked 112 and Bar La Grassa. 112 is cozier, but I'm not sure that means more romantic. I really loved the food both places. (Not placing them over any others. Just sharing my experience with a couple.)

          2. It does get loud, but BLG is very good - my wife's favorite downtown, and she's been to most of the good ones (on her vendors dimes).
            It's been our go-to anniversary/celebratory restaurant the past few years.
            Manny's is good and Murry's is decent, but not amazing. I agree with DPWY and bjhess on Oceannaire and 112 Eatery respectively.
            Borough is pretty cool, food was a bit out there, but enjoyable and Parlour, their bar in the basement, is a fun place to kick things off.

      3. I see that Kaiseki place will go into the old Origami location... I walked past there Wednesday and didn't realize something was going in.

        1. Kado no Mise is already open on the first floor. It's great for lunch--and if you order the temari, you get a wonderful little paintbrush for applying soy sauce.

          1. Huh... didn't look like anything was there from across the street. It's been added to the "places to check out" lunch place list (I sent an email to the appropriate co-workers).

            1. One of the guys I sent it to has been there. He's been there. As he's newly married to a doctor and they have no kids, they eat out often. He's also quite familiar with many east Asian cuisines, being of Chinese ancestry and Californian birth.
              Like me, who is none of those things, he also laments the loss of Origami at that location. He had this to say:
              "Their lunch menu is pretty basic with only a few items... It’s more traditional Japanese comfort food than what you find at most places. Lunch prices are reasonable, dinner prices are too high for what you’re getting, you can get better sushi dinners around the Twin Cities for less money."
              That sounds a lot more negative than it's meant.
              Since it'd be lunch and proximity to the office is a consideration, he's definitely up for it. I also have no qualms about limited menus as I typically just get samplers at sushi places.

              1. Man, I wanted to work at the downtown location. I trained downtown (on my first day, one of the cooks stuck a large bowl of wasabi in my face and asked, "Hey, señor, you want some guacamole?"), but worked at the now closed Minnetonka location. Maybe I could have made the jump eventually (was friends with one of the managers there), but I ended up moving to Winona instead.

                The downtown location got all the cool celebrities. All I got in Minnetonka was C.J..

              2. I don't know that I disagree with him. It's not flashy, but I've liked everything I've had. Favorite right now is 4 temari plus a kabocha salad. I also like the general ambiance.

      1. I don't know if I've been back to Shuang Cheng since college.
        I guess I rarely have a reason to be in Dinkytown.

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