Memorial Day Cookout

 Tom and I try to have at least one cookout every year. We began this season with a Memorial Day picnic on May 25 ...

 Tom assembled this gas grill a couple of years ago and we've used it ever since. We're still using the first tank of propane (I have two) that Bob gave me. The grill does an excellent job. Tom made a couple of Morningstar Grillers ... veggie burgers. I loved how the outside got a little crispy while the inside stayed tender. You can't do that in a microwave oven.

 We loaded the veggie burgers with onions, pickle relish, sliced tomato. We spread mayonnaise on the bun.

 Ah, corn on the cob. It's early in the season but this bi-color corn we bought at Kroger's (six for $2) was excellent.

 Tom prefers to hold the buttered corn in his hand ...

... while I prefer skewers in the ends.

 Then our traditional watermelon, this one from Aldi's.

 Tom prefers the seeded variety. Even those have fewer and fewer seeds as compared to what I remember as a child. I suppose they're being hybridized and bred out.

 And the day before, while I began the mowing (which Tom finished) Tom made Mom's cheeseball from memory (he couldn't find the recipe). It's pretty simple and yet soft, easily spread and delicious on crackers. It's just Philadelphia cream cheese, a jar of pimento cheese, fresh onions, a dash of Lowrey's seasoned salt and then coated with pecans.

 Tom suggested that I move the grill from the barn to the garage so we can have picnics more often this summer. Good idea.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - All The Rest

 My purpose at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was to immerse myself in Beatles memorabilia. Nothing else interests me as much. But we saw every display - some multiple times - and I recorded a few highlights with pictures. Of course they barely scratch the surface.

 If you've not read the previous two blogs about the RRHF, click here and here. Then continue below ...

 Elvis has a prominent place at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ...

 This is Elvis's custom motorcycle ...

 And Elvis's gold suit ...

 The actual Hall of Fame occupies its own area ...

 Naturally I was interested in the Beatles induction in 1988. Click here for more information.

 And Paul McCartney's solo induction in 1999. Click here for more information. And to see a video of his acceptance speech click here.

 As you leave the second floor of the RRHF you become sort of a captive audience in their gift shop. Of course Tom loves to shop (me not so much).

 This red and black mural is high on one wall of the gift shop.

 Naturally I was drawn to the image of Ringo and Paul ...

 Before stepping back outside, I took a final look at the massive entrance to the RRHF. The "hot dog" was used at a Phish concert. Frankly, it's seen better days.

 Various items used in concerts hang from the ceiling.

 Blue lights lead you into the museum first exhibit on the lower level ...

 So, two great days in Cleveland. It was well worth the trip and every minute spent there.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - The Beatles

 This is what I came for: The Beatles.

 The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has quite an impressive display of Beatles memorabilia. One item not on display, which Tom remembers seeing, is Ringo's drum kit. And I thought they had one of the Sgt. Pepper informs as shown on the cover of that album. Maybe both are in storage. Tom said the displays change often.

 But what they have on display is impressive, though not always quite what one would be left to believe without carefully reading the display cards (which Tom did). More of that as you view the pictures ...

 Ringo's drum sticks from the Beatlemania years ...

 Remember the collarless suit coats?

 One of George Harrison's suit coats.

 George Harrison's suit (l) and Paul McCartney's suit coat (r). McCartney's coat was not actually worn by him. It's off the Madam Tussaud wax model of Paul. So it's not a "genuine" Beatles item.

 A necklace worn by John Lennon and a photograph of him wearing it.

 Another view of the collarless suit coat.

 This suit was worn by George Harrison during the 1966 U.S. concert tour. I attended the August 21 concert at Crosley Field in Cincinnati and actually saw Harrison wearing this suit. For more on that concert, click here. It's hard to believe it was 52 years ago.

 A contract signed by all four Beatles.

 This is John Lennon's Mellotron. The opening line of Strawberry Fields Forever was played (by McCartney) on this instrument. The piano Paul played in Jane Asher's house was also on display. Click here.

 Here's an overview of the entire wall display of Beatles artifacts. Opposite this is an impressive display of the Rolling Stones.

 No doubt this was the Holy Grail for me. I was certainly interested in the entire museum but here, for me, was the Promised Land. But Biblical? Yes, indeed.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - The Place

 Tom and I visited the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland on May 15 and May 16. Here's views of the structure ... quite unusual architecture.

 Completed in 1995, the structure was designed by I.M. Pei. It cost $92 million to build with Cleveland offering half of that amount. It's situated on Cleveland Harbor (Lake Erie). The building contains 150,000 square feet.

 Cleveland, by the way, is the cleanest, neatest, large city I've ever been in. The skyline is gorgeous and the people we met invariably friendly. Cleveland is the second largest city in Ohio (ranked by population).

 This is the view as you approach the building ...

[Credit: Google Maps]

 When we arrived, a Beatles song was playing through the outdoor loudspeakers. That was a great and especially timely welcome.

 The building is massive. Large circular beams, painted white, hold the pyramidal glass. There are five floors, all accessible via escalators or elevators.

 This is the actual Hall of Fame where inductees names, years of induction and signatures line the walls.

 I asked Tom how the glass could possibly be cleaned. He said one time when he was there workers were on the roof doing just that. I suppose it involved rigging some sort of scaffolding. The glass is extremely thick and appears covered (on the inside) with a light-reducing filter.

 Looking from the RRHF back towards the Cleveland skyline.

 Looking north from the same spot.

 The iconic Long Live Rock sign in front of the building. This is a favorite spot to pose for pictures.

 And so Tom and I did just that ...

 One of these structures must hold the movie theater where a nearly half hour film is shown. Along with a light show, the music is so loud it drives up through your body through the  seats. It's not for those sensitive to high sound levels. But it's certainly for those of us who love rock!

 I'd guess that the movie theater is somewhat isolated from the rest of the structure because it is so incredibly loud and moving. Otherwise it would be overwhelming.

 Outdoor seating. While we were there school groups arrived and, at times, the place was crowded.

 I'll continue with other posts of various shots taken inside.