Look out below

This is the scene going on out my window right now. It's the annual Columbus Avenue Street Fair, which name makes it sound like more than it is: a collection of sausage-and-pepper, cheap Indian clothing, and Stainorator ("The Miracle Stain Eliminator") vendors. And that's just what I can see without craning my neck.

One great thing comes from the street fair, though. The organizers hire extra cleaners, and within an hour of breaking down the booths, the street is cleaner than it's been since this time last year.


When I was out earlier, I stopped to listen to this singer at one of the stages, who had, I'm not kidding, actual screaming fans down in front. I had no idea who he was, but since he was hawking the DVD of a movie he was in, I was able to track him down. ("It's got Cindy Williams, from 'Laverne & Shirley' and lots of other great grown-up actors.") He was Chris Trousdale, and he plays himself in the movie. Himself was part of a band called Dream Street, according to imdb, "until their break up in 2003 due to a lawsuit with the boy's record label." That clears that up.