Look, I was hoping to have some unifying theme this month, but it just wasn’t in the cards. All I got for you this B/F/L is some horizontal stripes and some funky little freaks. Let’s hop to it.
A BUILDING: The Asian Supermarket / Piccadilly Liquor on Prospect
I was grabbing a wee treat from the Dunkin’ on Prospect the other day when I noticed this striking building.
I just had to get a closer look. Of course I’d driven past the Piccadilly Liquor / Asian Supermarket hundreds of times, but I’d never stopped to take in its retro charm. This building has a ton of character, but my favorite bit is these orange, green, and red stripes. Maybe this building was a (very large) 7-Eleven in the past?
Tragically, the stripes do not continue all the way around the building, but the baby blue base coat does.
My other favorite part of this building is how the Piccadilly has personalized their entrance by adding some black marble tile. Discordant with the rest of the building for sure, but you know, sorta classy.
VERDICT: 8/10. I took two full points off for the stripes not going all the way around, but I gotta say, if you’re gonna run a business out of a cinder block rectangle, it should look like this. That’s even apart from the fact that this building is a one-stop-shopping destination unrivaled by anywhere else in town. During my visit I bought a wok, several bags of frozen dumplings, and some Pocari Sweat, then popped next door for a 24 pack of Miller High Lifes (Lives?). I don’t care who you are, that’s convenience.
A FEELING: Being inspired by Boneyard Arts Fest
I must sheepishly admit, I’m a latecomer to the magic that is Boneyard Arts Fest. For years my friends would spend the whole weekend touring around trying to see all the art while I just poked in here and there. But lately, I, too, am striving to take in everything Boneyard has to offer. It’s hard though! Seems like Boneyard gets exponentially bigger every year. This time I spent a whole day looking at awesome local (and semi-local) art and never even left Champaign to see all the stuff in Urbana and other spots.
Of the pieces I did see though, there was plenty of my two favorite genres of art: “Funky Freaks” and “Weird Little Guys.”
These chickens? Definite Funky Freaks.
Same with some of these eyeball people.
Some, but not all, of this set are off-the-charts funky and 100% freaks.
This may appear to be just a bunch of tongues, but if you look closely, a couple of them have googly eyes on them, converting them into some of the weirdest little guys you’re likely to meet.
The whimsy level on these weird little guys seems hard to beat.
But of course, the undefeated champions of making weird little guys are children, as evidenced by these plushies created by students at South Side Elementary School.
VERDICT: I love looking at the art at Boneyard, and purchasing some of it to cherish forever while also supporting local artists, but this year the main feeling I took away from the festival was that I gotta make more art!
Like, what am I doing playing video games and scrolling through TikTok when I could be drawing stuff?! Sure, the pee jokes I write here for Smile Politely are art, but sometimes I just gotta whip out the paper and marker and make my own weird little guy.
Look, I did it. Here’s a weird little guy I drew just now!
His name is Bertrand. He likes wearing cargo shorts and selling homeowner’s insurance.
Obviously I could NEVER part with Bertrand now that I’ve created him. But I suppose if you really must have him, everything has a price (Bertrand’s price is $175).
A LATRINE: The men’s room at Fiesta Cafe
I’ve got a LOT of opinions about the many Mexican restaurants in Chambana, but Fiesta Cafe is the one that feels the most like home to me. With that in mind I ventured to the men’s room to see if it is as homey as the rest of the place.
Well, it’s not as warm and friendly in here as the dining room, but it’s quite clean and functional. And look! A horizontal stripe, just like on the building! See, this column is really coming together.
This quit smoking sign isn’t really homey, but it is somewhat motherly and that has to count for something. Excellent sinks here with some pretty fancy soap dispensers.
This jug of “Orange Goop ®” is definitely detracting from the overall appearance though. Not just cuz it’s big and orange, but also cuz I think using a stylized hand to make the “G” in “Goop” but then NOT using another stylized hand to make the “O” in “Orange” is a real missed opportunity. Like, I’m definitely gonna be washing BOTH my hands if I use this stuff, I want them equally represented in the logo.
VERDICT: Definitely in the top 20th percentile of restaurant bathrooms here in town. My favorite part about this though is the photos of menu items hung over the urinals. Genius move honestly. I’ll just be in there takin’ a wizz and thinking to myself “dang, I really could go for some Frijoles Charros.” More restaurants should do this.
Well, that’s all for me this month kiddos. Don’t forget to keep making stuff and, ya’know, creating things. Whether you think it’s art or not, it’s good for that soul of yours.