Council Recap: Car Wash

At the October 9, 2023, Richardson City Council meeting, the Council denied an application for a special permit for a car wash on Centennial Blvd. The vote was 6-1, with Joe Corcoran being the lone Councilmember who voted to approve the application.

Richardson's draft vision statement sees Richardson as having "a small town feel and big city amenities." In case anyone wonders what that means, this case offers a clue. The City Council spending an hour debating whether to allow a new car wash behind an already existing gas station is definitely "small town." Denying the request because the Council wants something grander behind the gas station is aspiring to be "big city."

POTD: Ici est né le mot ‘Bistro’

From 2022 12 25 Paris

"A taste of Paris,
'Bystro' in every bite,
La Mère Catherine."

—h/t ChatGPT

Today's photo-of-the-day is of La Mère Catherine, a brasserie in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, France, in the Montmartre district. La Mère Catherine claims to be where the word "bistro" originated. In 1814, a group of Russian soldiers there asked for drinks to be served "bystro" (Russian for "quickly"). True or not, it's a good defense when the French blame the invention of the fast food restaurant on Americans. It actually started in Paris.

Note that this photo was taken in late December. Despite the chilly weather, Parisians (or tourists) are eating at outdoor tables, like you see in real cities around the world.

Bonus photos are after the jump.

POTD: Sainte-Chapelle

From 2022 12 25 Paris

"A thousand words pale,
Before the beauty it holds,
Paris' sacred gem."
—h/t ChatGPT

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Paris. There's stained glass, and then there's Sainte-Chapelle. Google describes it as an "ornate, 13th-century, Gothic chapel with relics & notable stained-glass windows of biblical scenes." That hardly does it justice. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Poison (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

Poison (2023): 17m short. Adaptation of Roald Dahl short story by Wes Anderson. More narration than dialog. Whether this works for you depends on liking the Wes Anderson style. B-

Rat Catcher (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

Rat Catcher (2023): 17m short. Adaptation of Roald Dahl short story by Wes Anderson. More narration than dialog. Whether this works for you depends on liking the Wes Anderson style. B-