On a morning that was supposed to have a 100% chance of sometimes heavy rain, two bikers dared venture a short outing to the Nectar Cafe (formerly Jazz Cat) in the Hollywood District.  This cafe, nestled into a nondescript shopping plaza, is doing a good job of creating its own persona via roasting its own beans, a menu featuring vegan and gluten free foods, interesting art, a distinct colorful interior, and comfortable soft high back chairs in addition to standard wooden ones.   It will be interesting to revisit in six months to see what other changes the relatively new owner introduces.

Discussion topics included: J’s holiday visit to his family’s 20 acre farm in S. Ill. and the challenges it faces from family dynamics, the dysfunctional fellow who leases a portion of it for cattle, and the potential of  underground coal extraction that would be beyond the family’s control; the changing agricultural landscape and what the revolution of the 1970s-80s actually brought about; whether coal extraction actually will wind down, and even if it is,  what to do about the environmental damage of fracking; the fishing culture that’s imbedded in so many from the midwest and southeast; and how badly the weather forecast overstated  today’s outlook.    1425 NE 42nd,   Ste. E