Welcome to SkyMiles. Here's your new number.

Eh? Skymiles?

By way of explanation, the email begins..."As part of the Northwest/Delta merger, your WorldPerks® account is now a SkyMiles account. Please begin using the below SkyMiles account number — instead of your WorldPerks number — for all future Delta, Northwest and partner transactions."

As a frequent traveler between the Eastern Seaboard and the Midwest, most of my travel time was spent on Northwest Airlines, for better or worse. And during times of great frustration they were generally referred to as that (insert your favorite curse word here) airline or more mildly, Northworst. Yet, I knew the ins and outs of NWA and where the good lounges were, how quickly I could get to Starbuck's or Caribou Coffee from the NWA terminal at various airports without missing my connecting flight. I was rarely thrilled with the service (I'd always had better experiences on Jet Blue) but I adapted and adjusted my expectations and was comfortably discomfited.

When all of the merger talks started with Delta I inwardly groaned, but didn't think it would all change so much. I hadn't considered that Northwest Airlines (formerly Northwest Orient Airlines--if anyone is old enough to remember the old cartoon commercials with the bird..."It's the ooooooonly way to fly...") was really going to disappear. Not only   from the tails and signage of their fleet, but all the lounges, terminals and apparently, from their loyalty scheme as well. Let's just say when the "Welcome to Skymiles" email came, it wasn't so much that I was surprised, but a little sad to see that NWA was really going the way of the dodo and the t-rex.

And this got me thinking...thinking of a few things that I've loved that have become, for lack of a better world, extinct. Things change so quickly these days, it's kind of surprising how many stores, products and objects have just disappeared.

And at the risk of sounding like Andy Rooney (a MUCH younger and cuter version who has nicely groomed brows, thank you very much, but still...)

Dayton's and Marshall Fields. Dayton's was part of most Minnesotan's lives. It was the big department store in downtown Minneapolis--think Mary Tyler Moore tossing her cap...you can see it in the background of that opening sequence! They held Christmas displays and Spring flower shows in their huge auditorium and no trip to The Cities was complete without making a stop at Dayton's downtown. They had outposts in Duluth, Rochester and a few other mid-sized Midwestern cities. In 1990 Dayton-Hudson acquired Marshall Field's and many Dayton's stores were rebranded as Marshall Field stores. That was one thing...one midwestern favorite replacing another. Then when Macy's got involved in recent years, all the stores were branded as Macy's. Minnesotan's by nature aren't necessarily quick to adopt new things (we can be a contrary lot...) and more than a few people I know still call it Dayton's and will likely never call the flagship store in downtown Minneapolis anything but Dayton's. I'd have to believe that Chicagoans are of a similar ilk...it's always going to be Field's.

Banana Republic. Yes, Banana Republic still exists, but it's not the BR of old. I loved the fun, quirky old "safari" khakis and great white cotton blouses of the old BR. Now-a-days (did I really just type that??) Banana Republic is office wear, for the most part. That's fine, but I liked them better the old way.

B. Dalton Booksellers, Musicland or Sam Goody stores. Perennially one of my favorite Christmas gifts was a gift certificate--the precursor to the ubiquitous gift card--to B. Dalton. I could pore for hours over which books I was going to take home. And the same with Musicland--I loved going there to check out the cassettes...and eventually CDs. Both are basically gone, there may be a few B. Dalton's left out there, but not many. The internet has forever changed the way consumers purchase both books and music.

There are other silly little things I miss...John Frieda's Beach Waves spritz for my hair (the B&B stuff is great, but that's also hard to find); Pepsi-Lite...I always loved that little tinge of unnatural lemon flavor.

Don't get me wrong...I love my mod-cons. My beloved BlackBerry (yes, there I said it, I LOVE MY BLACKBERRY) is perpetually at my side, tucked in my bag, slipped in my pocket, or clutched in my hand...don't even ask what I'd do without it. But I still have--and love in an entirely different way--my Filo-Fax. It's the BlackBerry backup. And I've already sung the praises of XM radio allowing me to listen to the Twins vs Royals the other day as I ambled around Kensico Cemetery.  And iTunes is such a blessing. I can't even begin to count the number of cassette tapes I had to buy when there was only one actual song that I liked. (Yes, Mom, next time I come home I'll go through some of those boxes.)  The ability to be able to listen to at least small bits of every song on album before buying--let alone buy just one or two songs--is a great thing for a fickle music lover like myself. So I'm not knocking modernity, I'm just saying there are a few little things and places I remember fondly and am sorry to see are gone.

Farewell Northwest Airlines, Dayton's and Marshall Field's...I'll have many happy memories of you all. (Well, probably not NWA, but I'll be generous here.)

Anyone out there have any other favorite shops, restaurants, brands or items they miss?? It's healthy to share...

Books + Horses = Lucky 1st Graders!

One of the things I greatly enjoy are dispatches from the old hometown. My parents often send me newspaper clippings of various things or they'll alert me to something of interest in the online version of the local paper, usually it's something relating to an old friend or cause I used to be involved with.

Obviously from my previous posts here, I love books and I love horses, and I especially love books about horses. And to any horse-loving child, the books of Walter Farley are like peppermints to ponies. From the original The Black Stallion in 1941, all the way up until 1989's The Young Black Stallion which Farley wrote with his son, Steven, the series maintained a consistently high standard for its young readers. If you didn't read these classics as a child, it's not too late, you'll no doubt find them in your local library.

So to tie these two loose ends together, the aforementioned hometown paper, The Rochester Post-Bulletin, ran a story over the weekend about two area horses who are going to be auctioned off with the proceeds going to the Rochester Regional Equestrian Center. The RREC will then use the money to partner with the Black Stallion Literacy Foundation to provide two hardcover books to each first-grader at a local elementary school. Riverside Central, the school that would initially benefit from this program, is in the city and has a fairly large immigrant student population. What a great opportunity for city kids, many of whom are not likely to ever get to really spend any time with horses, to possibly be inspired by the these noble creatures. The article goes on to note:

"I've seen firsthand how children bond and relate to horses," said Carol Fosdick, chair of the RREC auction, who has given riding lessons for 10 years. "This program is a definite win-win situation for all beginning readers and their schools."


In the spring, the students would be taken to a local barn to learn more about horses -- how they eat, how they are cleaned and taken care of, and how the tack, such as saddles, bridles and bits, are used. They will even read to the horse, an experience supporters say leaves an indelible impression on young people and fuels a life-long interest in reading."

The full piece by Matthew Stolle is HERE.

The BSLF (check out their website at www.bslf-online.org) has a great mission..."The Black Stallion Literacy Foundation helps children discover the joys of reading and the excitement of learning through the wonders of live horses and Walter Farley's Black Stallion books." What a great way to get kids to read and appreciate animals and the bonds we forge with them. Any time you can get books into the hands of children it's a recipe for success.

The RREC's website also provides lots of good info about this upcoming wine-tasting and fundraiser for the project. They're at www.rrec.info. Also take a look at the two Thoroughbreds that are being auctioned off, one out of Ghazi, one of Minnesota's leading Thoroughbreds. Both are gorgeous and Rushford, won a great race at Canterbury with superb Minnesota jockey Dean Butler in the irons. Their info can be viewed HERE.

What a nice way to begin a Tuesday morning, horse books for lucky 1st graders, new homes for some Minnesota Thoroughbreds and a literacy foundation working hard for horses and kids. Wins all the way around.

"Um, is this thing on??"

So I really had nothing to write about today. It was a big day for the pacers and trotters--that is to say it was Little Brown Jug Day in Ohio. (No, not the big football game between Minnesota and Michigan for a similarly titled piece of small crockery!) The Little Brown Jug is the 2nd jewel in the Pacing or Trotting Triple crown. So all the best trotters and pacers descended on the Delaware County, Ohio, fairgrounds for the races. And these are tough races with multiple heats. Well Said carried the day and all in the pacing community seemed satisfied that a good day--with ample attendance--was had by all.

I thought about writing about the race and doing something about The Great Dan Patch (my personal favorite pacer/trotter of all time) or even about how pacing is different from trotting gait wise, but that topic, I'm sorry to say, didn't inspire me.

And yet, after my slightly wine-influenced manifesto I really felt I should follow up strong. I fear that is not to be, alas.

I'm no less impassioned than I was yesterday, just less verbose. (I know, I can hear those sighs of relief across the Northeast as I type...)

Even Project Runway, another of my television obsessions was disappointing today. For you non-Runway types out there, the winner was, in words I hope Tim Gunn might use, inexplicable. Fellow Minnesotan Christoper did a fantastic piece as did Epperson...I loved both dresses and think they both are much more talented and have a much clearer POV than Nicholas (the winner) did. And the judges in seasons past have always stressed POV...your Point of View as a designer. It should influence your take on everything...even costume and period clothing. I didn't see too much POV in Nicholas' design. Plus, I think he's rather a whinging putz. (Sorry, I know that's not nice!)

The new Chanel bio-pic, Coco Avant Chanel, got a very good review in today's NYT by A.O. Scott. I've been dying to see it might have to be high on the priority list. Shallow, maybe, but true. There's always time for Chanel.

And note to the Big 10 schedulers, how dare you fuck up the Minnesota-Michigan rivalry this season. It's for the aforementioned Little Brown Jug and it's one of the oldest and best contested rivalries in all of collegiate sports. Shame on you Big 10 lackeys!! (That last bit was for my dad!) For the record, and in the interest of full disclosure, I went to college in Chicago so I have nothing more than a sporting interest in either educational institution.