The Taste of Cleveland was not that bad yesterday. The roster would not rank with the best we've seen, but the food was pretty damn good. Each food ticket was still $1.25 this year. Admission was $5.00. Parking was $6.00. Next year it may be a carpool or I will walk.

Food for me:

Once I figured imported bottled beer was the same price as plastic-bottled Bud Light, I was OK.

Roast pig from Grovewood Tavern was awesome.

I had stuff from two soul food places, Just Like Mom's and Real New Orleans, but I forgot who sold what. I had chicken wings and cornbread from one place that were really good. I had jambalaya from the other, which enabled me to have that cajun sweat going, as it had a wonderful kick. It was extremely tasty, but I know where I can get better jambalaya.

Pierogi Palace did their usual good job with, what else, pierogis.

Mango Sorbet from Woo City Ice Cream was good, as well.

The entertainment was Michael McDonald, who basically sits on a stool, sings, and plays keyboards now. He didn't sing one Steely Dan song. Some Doobies, especially good on "It Keeps You Runnin'". Lots of solo, including "Ya Mo Be There". And tons of Motown, which butters his bread these days, I guess. Sure we mock, but it wasn't that bad and his backing musicians were good.

Good friends, Chuck and Maggie, were in town this weekend from FLA. So, Mr. Mix and I headed over this evening to see..."Transporter 2", baby. Of course, believability was suspended for many stunts. Sure, instead of shooting the good guy, they always delay it so he can get away. And why have a storyline interfere with the action? They even had perhaps the cheesiest airplane special effects since "Air Force One". It looked like it wasn't even Matchbox quality, but more like TootsieToy. Having said all of that, we are back for "Transporter 3"!

Jason Statham beats up a bunch of bad guys and his fight with a hose as a prop was excellent and had me rolling because it was so funny to watch. He beat up ex-boxer Shannon Briggs in one scene. It had elements of "Man on Fire". At the beginning, I thought he was gonna say his name was Creasy, because he had to pick up a kid at school and drive him home. Of course, the parents were fighting and the mother had the hots for Jason. She obviously forgot one of his rules, "Don't get involved."

Tomorrow, I get to play a real-life Transporter (and I have rules, too), as I'm off to Cooperstown, NY for a few days. Full report when I get back.

Meal of Links

The news has been really crazy lately. Just when I thought the Roberts Supreme Court nomination hearings would take a backseat to Katrina coverage, Chief Justice Rehnquist dies. That puts the focus back on the hearings, and they do deserve scrutiny.

Carnival Cruise Lines is sending three cruise ships to Galveston to house displaced citizens from the hurricane. They should allow those Astrodome people to move in. It seems the people who signed up late get treated better.

I hop you got to see the Sunday morning talk shows this a.m. They were incredible.

Exercise Yard

James Blake beat the No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal at the US Open. Blake is a rarity in tennis, a Harvard student, and has a nice story to tell. A really good guy.

Visitor

None, it's Sunday.