Roadside Highlights: Tyler, TX

If you are anything like me then you agree that it's the odd roadside attractions that make a trip go from good to great. The weirder and more arbitrary, the better. But, like me, you might not think that they all deserve their own blog entry. If that's the case then you might group several geographically approximate roadside attractions into one blog entry.

What a coincidence, so did I!

And since I was recently in Tyler, TX, let's start there.  Awhile back I visited  the historical markers and memorials in downtown's courthouse square but there was one we missed. It is under this unassuming tree on the southeast corner of the square:

And it memorializes Tyler's most beloved squirrel, "Shorty."

Shorty was the beloved courthouse mascot and upon his tragic passing he was honored with this tombstone.

And if dead animals are your thing, you can find plenty at the Brookshire's World of Wildlife Museum:

I was going to go on and on about the seemingly endless displays of exotic taxidermy but there is clearly one stand out:

Yes, "Monkeys Playing Monopoly" is truly a work of art and is eerily reminiscent of a recurring childhood nightmare I used to have quite a while ago.  Take a moment to soak in all the elaborate details, from each player's individual name takes to the one monkey brandishing a "Get Out of Jail Free" card.

If that's not enough animal hi-jinks for you then stroll down Teddy Bear Lane in the Children's Park to see two giant "wrestling" teddy bears.

It's a nice little park that's hidden away yet relatively close to downtown...and it has giant cavorting teddy bears that look like they're straight out of a Bjork video.  Can't beat that.

Lastly, when you are on your way out of town you can stop and get some coffee at Kickerz.  It's easily identified from the road because...well, you know.

This one is technically in Whitehouse, TX which is just south of Tyler but the draw of a giant hat shaped coffee shop is easy motivation for the 5 minute drive. I recently learned that they are hoping to start a franchise so I'm sure that cowboy hat shaped buildings will soon start popping up everywhere.

And that would be awesome.

The Mysterious Superman Store in Dallas

As I was driving home from the comic book store last Wednesday something odd caught my eye. In the middle of what I assume is the Korean section of Dallas there was a mysterious storefront. While I couldn't read the Asian characters outside of the store there was something distinctly American that I did recognize.

BAM! Superman symbol! With the inverted colors you are probably tempted to refer to this as a Bizarro Superman symbol but notice that the "S" is not backward which makes this strictly non-Bizarro.

But what the heck is this place? They wouldn't be the first non-WB entity to try and use the "S" shield to promote something but I couldn't tell what. Other than the Superman motif there was absolutely nothing to indicate what it is or was. 

And for those that might dismiss this as just a playful decoration that the proprietor thought looked cool, check out the small sign to the lower right of the Asian letters:

Yep, it says "Superman" all right. So what's the deal with this place? I gotta know. This is the point in the blog where you are probably thinking, "Well go inside and ask them, genius!" But, alas, this place was locked up tighter than the Fortress of Solitude:

So it's not a business or at the very least it's not a business where the public is welcome. A new branch of Cadmus Labs perhaps? Did Supes get jealous of Batman, Inc. and start a franchise of his own? Will we ever know for sure?

If you aren't laying awake tonight considering the possibilities then, let's face it, you probably hate America.

Separated at Birth: The Twin Dilemma

Outside of the south Dallas location of Schepp's Dairy stands a four legged sentry who keeps two great big eyes on the comings and goings of the busy distribution center.

Not a big deal, you say?  Cow statues are plentiful...especially in Texas, you say?  Well, ok, you're right but this one seemed familiar and as I rummaged through my hard drives of pictures and video...

I stumbled across this little beauty in Benbrook, TX, about 60 miles east of the other one:

The resemblance is striking.  Long lost twins, perhaps?  Our friends at Roadside America tell us there are multiple mega-cows grazing along the back roads of the U.S. and that there are standard fiberglass models and not so standard fiberglass models.  But I think it's safe to say that these two are from the same herd.

So what's the story?  Were they both previously perched at Schepp's and then one got out when the farmer left the gate open?  Are their origins completely separate from Schepp's and then later the dairy got a hold of one of them?  Another open case file in the world of roadside mysteries...

Bug Bites

The Houston Museum of Natural Science has everything you want in a natural history museum.  Fossils, rocks, interactive displays, rotating exhibits...and all the dinosaurs you stare at.

But it was when I was on my way out that I discovered something truly unique.  Near the gift shop is this unassuming vending machine:

Sure, it looks like the average treat dispenser but if you take a closer look you'll see a menu of science specific snacks and borderline gross grub.  Let's start with some of the more traditional fare.  And what's more at home at a museum than dinosaurs?

Gummi bears are replaced with Gummi Dinosaurs but the real find here is the top row.  Choc-o-saurus is a combination of two museum staples: dinosaurs and freeze dried ice cream!  It's chocolate with chocolate chips and, while eating it, you have the option to pretend like you're an astronaut or a extinct predator who loves dehydrated food.

Larvets!  Wondering if these things are what they look like?  Well, here's the explanation directly from their website: "Real larva, deliciously seasoned. Offered in three flavors: BBQ, Cheddar Cheese, or Mexican Spice."  And that's not enough bugs to satisfy your appetite, then good news...

Here we've got "Crick-ettes." which are, you guessed it, real crickets.  These are Bacon & Cheese flavor but they also come in Salt N' Vinegar and Sour Cream & Onion.  And if you're still hungry for bugs, you can also grab some Ant Wafers!  It's essentially what it sounds like: "Real ants in chocolate flavored round wafers."

Have you ever eaten hard candy and thought to yourself, "I wish this had ants in it."  Then you should have picked #56 or #57 from this vending machine.  You get the option of either Cherry or Apple flavor, both with Black Ants of course.

For our final selections we head to outer space for Alien Ice Cream.  This another freeze dried ice cream and is your standard Neapolitan flavor but it's either made by or eaten by Aliens.  Or maybe there's just one on the package.  Or you can have a Moon Pie!  Get it?  "Moon"

So the next time you head out to the museum, bring some change and an adventurous appetite.

Not the Brightest Bulb (But Almost)

The sights and sounds (and, yes, smells) of the Fort Worth Stockyards are plentiful.  You've got Texas history, honkey tonks, cowboys (both real and rhinestone) and just about anything you could ask for to give the out of town visitors plenty of Texas take-home.

But among the meat packing memorabilia and cowpoke collections, in a dark little corner of the Stockyards Museum, shines a little known claim to fame.  Take a gander at this long lasting little beauty:

This little light of mine (and yours) is the world famous Palace Theater Light Bulb!  It burned bright, nonstop, for over a century.  Even when the Theater was scheduled to be destroyed in the 70's, it was saved and somehow moved (George Costanza/Frogger style?) while still plugged in.

It holds the Guinness Book of World Records title as the Second Longest Burning Light Bulb.  Now I know that Texans aren't accustomed to second place but I'd like to think it has its own charm.  A charm that fits right in with the cast of characters in the Stockyards.  So the nest time you're in the neighborhood, stop by and bask in the light of history.

Matchbook Memories: The Buckhorn Saloon

Sometimes coming across something as mundane as an old matchbook can bring back memories.  So a couple of old matchbooks from the Buckhorn Saloon are a flashback to one of San Antonio's most populous attractions.  These look like they were from the era of the saloon's original location:

The inside of the second one promotes Lone Star beer but there was a time when the Buckhorn proudly served their own custom branded brew:

All this reminiscing brings back memories of our trip there a few years back.  Here's some video we shot highlighting some of the more unusual things in their collection:

Secret Fair Park Decoration Graveyard

While tooling around near Fair Park, I recently stumbled upon what can only be described as a Secret Fair Park Decoration Graveyard.  It is behind the park and completely fenced in but I got what pictures I could:

Clearly, there are several leftovers from the Chinese Lantern Festival (which was, in fact, extended it Feb. 17th) but look closely and you'll see some other interesting stuff:

Notice the dinosaur?  Well, there's more.  A few more dino statues, a Santa Claus, some longhorns...a cornucopia of wackiness:

What's the story here?  Are these beautiful things left to rot?  Just being stored temporarily?  Would it be a big deal if I rented a truck and took some stuff?  Questions abound.

Fine Food and Spirits

Is Larry's Mexican Restaurant in Richmond, TX haunted?  This photograph, taken in 2010, seems to indicate that it's frequented by at least one little spirit:

But don't strap on your proton packs just yet.  According to this article on Snopes there's more gravy than grave about this little specter.  Apparently it's just an example of some simple photographic trickery.

Sure, that's not as much fun as a good old fashioned haunting but hopefully, if the restaurant manager's are smart, they can spin this into a Texas tall tale use the gimmick to promote the business:

"Larry's Mexican Restaurant - Home of the Haunted Habaneros!"  It would definitely make me want to stop for a burrito on my way through town.

A Tip of the Hat

Here's some video we shot recently about the construction and installation of the giant bowler hat in south Dallas: